Weeds
by ToriMiu
Summary: She was an orphan. She lived on the streets, where her existence was less than welcomed. But she didn't care. She had her fellow orphans, her brothers and sisters, her family. That's all she ever needed. And then came Team Seven... OC
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I only wish I did.

AN: This is my first time posting on so I'm hoping it goes okay. Just a note, I don't use swear words, so any swear words here will turn out a little odd, like d'mn. I originally used asterisks but it turns out that they don't show up when I load it on to So I've replaced them with apostrophe marks. Hopefully, it doesn't look to weird. I've read over the fanfic like about a dozen times and have caught as many spelling and grammar mistakes as I could, but if any of you readers catch one, please tell me, so I can fix it as soon as possible.

Please read and review! I love to read comments XD Constructive criticism appreciated.

**BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB **

Chapter One

_Weeds: Nobody likes them; everybody hates them; they pop up where you least like them to, always showing the lesser part of your garden, or creating uncomely spots on your lawn… They grow to be picked out and gotten rid of. Maybe that's why they're so incredibly stubborn and hardy; you pick one off and unless you do it completely, it just springs back up again. You have to pluck it from its roots, and even if you do, that's no guarantee that it'll never show up again. Stubborn and hardy. Perhaps it's something to be admired. Their perseverance. Their unwillingness to die. Their stubbornness to keep on living, despite all the odds against them, despite all the hatred towards them. They never give up. Maybe, at some point in life, everyone turns out to be a bit of a weed… _

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"How much longer until we get there?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"The walls of Hidekatsu city should show up any time now," Kakashi replied, not even looking up from his book.

"Stop jumping around, Naruto," Sakura scolded. "Hey, knock it off!"

Naruto was now jumping in circles around the pink kunoichi, forcing her to stop before she tripped over him, his grin nearly splitting his face in two.

"Why are you so excited?!" she demanded.

"Didn't you hear??" Naruto asked. "Hidekatsu's supposed to be huge!! And there're supposed to be more than _fifteen_ different ramen bars! One of them was on the cover of _Ramen Lover's digest_!! I want to go to that one first!!"

His excited grin soon turned wistful as he envisioned himself sitting in front of a mountain number of bowls of steaming ramen. Oddly enough, they were all whispering his name…

The rest of team 7 stared at the twelve year old blond boy with strange expressions that nearly screamed, _'What the h–' _

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered.

Naruto snapped out of his reverie. He opened his mouth, about to snap back a (usually lame) retort, but then, to everyone's surprise, he closed his mouth resolutely. He then sighed blissfully.

"I'm too happy to kick your 'ss for that," he said wistfully, already drifting back into his daydream.

"I'd like to see you try," Sasuke muttered, but he left it at that.

"I hope you're not forgetting," Kakashi said, looking at Naruto with an amused but serious expression, "the real reason we're going to Hidekatsu. Let me jog your memory. It's not for ramen."

Naruto scowled. "I know why we're going," he said impatiently.

Kakashi nodded and returned back to his book.

"How long do you think it will take, sensei?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi looked up over his book, considering. "I'm not quite sure… Like Naruto said, Hidekatsu is a really big city, and we don't know when our targets are supposed to arrive at the city. They might actually decide to skip Hidekatsu and move on to the next town. If that happens, then we'll have to start tracking them again, and they might end up having more than a few days' head start."

"Do you… think that will happen?" Sakura asked.

"Honestly? No," Kakashi answered. "Hidekatsu's a big city. It's an excellent place to get supplies or information, or do anything, really, without being asked questions. It's also a good place to cover your trail, since the city's crowded. It would be a good decision, on their part, to at least enter the city."

"But then," Sasuke frowned, "wouldn't that make it harder for us to find them?"

"Yes, well, I think you guys can handle it," Kakashi grinned lazily. "And if you can't, I'm still an elite ninja. I'm the best of the best of the best. I can more than handle a simple mission like this," he said humbly.

Sakura and Sasuke both anime sweat-dropped. Naruto was still in his ramen palace daydream.

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

About thirty-seven minutes later…

"Wow…" the three genin stared in awe.

Ten minutes earlier, they had seen the great walls that barely hid the large city of Hidekatsu. Five minutes earlier, they had stood before its towering gates, awaiting the permission to enter. Now, they stood just inside the gates, hit full-blast by the enormity of the place. Naruto hadn't been exaggerating. Konoha was a very large village, it in itself a thriving place. But Hidekatsu was a large city that literally seemed to _throb _with activity and life. Hidekatsu made the shinobi village look very small indeed.

The city, though a part of the Fire country, was still across the country, a two and a half days' walk to from Konoha. Inside the large walls, was one of the most thriving cities of the continent. There, from rags to riches and riches to rags, many made and lost their fortunes daily. Thousands of merchants and business men made journeys to the cities to work their trade and make their business. Restaurants and shops lined the bustling streets of the city. Off to one side, the three twelve year olds could see the crowded market place, farmers from all over the country and then some shouting over their carts and stalls of the great deals on the freshest fruit of the season, haggling with their costumers before the shoppers left with a satisfying deal and a large basket of vegetables.

Bordering the market place and beyond were towering buildings, apartments and businesses, rich restaurants and other less prosperous dwellings. In the middle of the great city stood a building that towered over all others. There, all the goings-on of the city politics took place.

About fifteen minutes later, after Kakashi had settled them all into a small inn, he gathered them together.

"Alright," Kakashi said. "Here's what we're going to do. We're going to split up. I want you three to go around the city, get used to the setting, learn where things are and what streets lead where. Rule number three in the ninja handbook: know your surroundings. If things get messy, I want you all to have a good idea of where things are and where to go. I don't want you three to ask questions just yet. Any interrogation might get back to the targets and tip them off. For now, just learn about the city. Return to the inn by sundown."

"What about you, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"I'm going to look for a certain informant I know," he replied. "If I'm not back by the appointed time, you three go on ahead and get something to eat. I should be back before morning. Understood?"

The three genin nodded.

"Good, then get to it."

The group then slit up, Naruto and his friends starting off in one direction while Kakashi left for the other. As soon as Kakashi was out of sight, Naruto turned to the other two.

"Hey, hey! Let's get something to eat!" he said.

"Naruto, we're supposed to be scouting the city, not stuffing ourselves with ramen!" Sakura scolded.

"But I'm hungry!" he whined.

"You're supposed to be a shinobi," Sakura said. "Deal with it."

_Though some food really doesn't sound so bad… _she mentally anime cried to herself.

"But," Naruto persisted, suddenly grinning slyly. "Kakashi-sensei said we were supposed to familiarize ourselves with the city surroundings. Knowing where certain _landmarks _can help us find our way around."

_When did Naruto get so conniving? _Sakura thought, her stomach taking Naruto's side.

"Naruto's got a point," Sasuke said, his gaze curiously off to the side. He was a bit hungry, too.

_Him, too,_ Sakura realized with a slight anime sweat-drop. "Well… I suppose…"

"Yeah!" Naruto cheered. He then reached into his backpack and pulled out a small magazine.

"Naruto, what is that?" Sakura asked.

"It's my _Ramen Lover's Digest,_" he said happily. He flipped the magazine open. "Let's see… 'Hidekatsu's Ramen Palace'! It's supposed to be this way!"

He took off running, the other two helplessly following behind him.

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

It took Kakashi a little longer than usual to find the small bar, located along the inside walls of the large city. When he walked in, the bright sunlight was suddenly dimmed by the dark room inside. Inside, the bar's unfavorable reputation was well earned. It was a cheap place, meant for the most miserable of drunkards. The floor was decorated with all different colors of stains Kakashi really didn't want to have identified. Walls and furniture were in poor condition, having been wrecked in previous bar fights and then half-heartedly or lazily mended. The bar tender off to the side was lazily wiping off a cracked ceramic cup with a very greasy looking cloth. Being the early afternoon, the bar was empty of the larger crowd that usually came in during the after-work hours. Though that didn't stop a few slumped figures to habit the place, sitting slouched at the bar stools, or at the booths along the wall.

Kakashi frowned in slight distaste. He usually avoided places like these. Sure, a few particularly nasty missions occasionally sent him in the direction of some well earned saké, but even then, he would have chosen a better reputed bar. Personally, he preferred strong tea. There was really no sense in destroying a fit body that was necessary for completing missions for Konoha.

If it weren't for the hopes of locating the certain informant, Kakashi would have skipped this place altogether. Kakashi narrowed his eyes. He squinted in the dim light, trying to identify the slums that sat in the room. He wasn't there.

Kakashi sighed. He had spent almost an hour trying to find the place and the guy wasn't even there. He scratched the back of his head, trying to think of another likely place to look, as he walked back out of the dark bar and into the blinding sunlight.

XxX

Chiyo stared hard at the grey-haired man who, after about five minutes, walked back out of the bar in front of her. Next victim confirmed. The scrawny twelve year old girl grinned.

The man looked well off. Although a mask covered most of his face –and although his hair was grey-, Chiyo placed the man in his mid twenties. His hair was clean, unlike a majority of the people's who walked into that bar, and his clothing was in good condition. They were strange, Chiyo thought, almost uniform-like. But she had seen stranger. After all, she lived in the city Hidekatsu, where millions walked through its streets displaying outrageous fashions. She had definitely seen stranger. But his appearance, as a whole, marked him as well off. Perhaps he was not filthily rich, but he wasn't dirt poor.

She was likely to pick off a good sum of money off of him.

As the man walked away from the bar, Chiyo followed, slinking in the shadows as she had her whole life. Taking a few narrow side roads and running up walls by collecting chakra to her feet, just as Ojii-chan had taught her to, Chiyo quickly managed to get ahead of her next target.

_Almost…_ she thought to herself as she watched the man walking closer from behind a corner of a building. The man had left the smaller street by the bar and walked into the main streets, on of the large pulsing arteries of the city. The street was crowded. That was good. She would be able to 'bump' into him and then walk off and blend with the crowd.

_Now. _

Chiyo left the shadows of the alley and walked into the crowd, towards the man. When she reached him, she tripped.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, falling against him.

Reflexively, he reached out and caught her before she made a face plant on paved street.

"You ok?" he asked. Then he raised his eyebrows when he saw her face.

Chiyo blushed and laughed apologetically, scratching the back of her head as she regained her balance on her own feet. "Um, yeah, sorry sir," she said.

The man's only visible eye curved up as he smiled behind his mask. "No problem."

Chiyo stared at him for a moment. "Um, can I ask you something, sir?"

The man raised his eyebrow. "Hm?"

"Why… are you wearing a mask?"

"Hm," he said smiling. "To hide my face," he said happily.

Chiyo anime sweat-dropped. "Oh, ok. Well, um. Thanks for catching me. Sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble at all," he said, still smiling.

"Um, yeah, bye then," she said, walking on, following the crowd.

Further down the street, she quickly disappeared into a dark alley. Crouching down with her back to the street, she reached into her pocket and took out a small pouch.

"Sucker," she grinned.

"That's not real nice."

With a yelp, Chiyo suddenly jumped up and turned, her hands behind her back, to see a man, the same man she had just 'bumped into', standing before her with his hands lazily in his pockets.

"How did you–?!"

The man shrugged. "I didn't want to make a scene on the street. It's best not to draw attention to myself." He reached out his hand. "My money?"

Chiyo looked away from his eyes, analyzing his shown possessions. There was no sword at his belt. Chiyo mentally relaxed a bit. So it wasn't a samurai. Those entered the city occasionally. Chiyo looked at the rest of him. No other weapon was in sight, though he might have hidden them inside the pouch she saw at his waist or somewhere else on his person. She brought her gaze back up to his and looked him straight in the eye.

"Gomen-nasai, sir, but I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, her own eyes wide with innocence.

"Then what are you hiding behind your back?" he asked casually.

_Sh't, he saw. _

"What, this?" Chiyo brought her hands from behind her back, revealing the pouch of money in her hand. "Um, this is my Okaa-san's. I'm supposed to buy some fish for dinner tonight."

"Why were you hiding it?" the man pressed, still casual.

"Well, you know how it is in the city," Chiyo said wisely. "There are people looking for little girls like me to rob. Okaa-san told me to hide this from anyone, but it looks like you saw. You're not going to rob me, are you?" she asked, her eyes still wide with innocence.

The man's eyebrows rose. Chiyo mentally glared at him. He looked positively amused with her response.

"No, I won't rob you. But, one must consider if it would be robbing for one to take back what was originally his…"

"I suppose, if it _was…_ but isn't that past tense? What if one had given the thing to the other person? Even if it was _originally_ his, it would be considered robbing for him to take it back, right? Hypothetically speaking. Though I don't see how that has to do with anything…"

The man looked even more amused than before.

"So… that pouch of money really isn't mine?"

Chiyo's eyebrows rose up in 'innocent surprise'. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"I don't know… perhaps it was my name written on the inside flap of it…"

_Sh't. _

Chiyo lost her innocent look and tensed, crouching into an informal battle stance. Her face was now grim with a determined look. She quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out a kunai, one given to her by Ojii-chan.

The man looked very surprised to see it in her hand, his eyes widening, but he didn't make any other move. Chiyo felt slightly reassured that, by the lack of a sword, he couldn't possibly be a samurai. Then again, remembering Ojii-chan's words, a _shinobi _wouldn't be so obvious as to carry around a sword… But no. Chiyo shook that thought from her head. What were the chances that she had run into a _ninja? _ Didn't they tend to make themselves scarce and unnoticed? Though the man _did_ say it was best not to draw attention to himself… Chiyo shook her head again. Now was not the time for deep thinking. Now was the time for quick action.

Focusing chakra to her feet like Ojii-chan had taught her to, she suddenly charged at the man. He seemed surprised by her sudden and probably unusual speed, but unlike her other robbery victims, he managed to dodge her attack with the kunai slicing only part of his dark green vest. Chiyo quickly turned around to face him again. He was observing the slice on his vest with slight astonishment. Then he turned back to Chiyo. She tensed.

"You're an interesting little thing," he said.

Chiyo twitched. No one _ever _called her _little…_ This man would die.

"Rah!" she gave a small angry cry and charged at him again. Just before she reached him, he flickered, and disappeared. Chiyo heard a small 'poof' behind her and every thing went dark.

XxX

Kakashi caught the young girl before she fell to the ground. He then picked her up and 'poofed' back to the inn. When he reached it, he laid the girl on his bed. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura weren't back yet. He looked out of the window. The sun was still high. It would be a while before sundown. He supposed that was for the best. It would be a hassle to explain why he had left looking for a man and returned with a scrawny girl. Kakashi turned to look back at the girl lying unconscious on his bed.

When he had first seen her, when she had 'bumped' into him, he had gotten a slight shock. The young girl looked remarkably like the pink haired one in his own team seven. She had high cheek bones, and a well shaped nose, and her eyes were bright with intelligence. But now, after Kakashi had taken a closer look, there were quite a few obvious differences. The hair, for an obvious example. While Sakura's was long and pink, this girl's was shorter, brushing her shoulder, ink black and uneven, as though it was cut with a crude knife and only for convenience. Considering the girl's most likely lifestyle, it probably was only cut for practical uses. The eyes under her lids were intelligently brown, with a soft compassion that peered through them. And her body. That was not the body of a girl with a financially content family. That was the thin body of a girl who had seen too many nights with out a meal.

Another thing puzzled him, other than her first-glance resemblance to Sakura. Her possession of a kunai, and the fact that she knew how to focus chakra to her feet and use it to her advantage. Only a shinobi would know how to do that. Kakashi supposed she could have picked up the kunai on the streets –though he seriously doubted that; shinobi weren't known to be careless and leave evidence of their presence lying around–, or perhaps she had bested one in a fight –Kakashi seriously doubted that, too; though she showed some skill in a battle, probably able to fight off more than one street punk, she wasn't at the level of skill to beat Naruto– but even so, that didn't explain her knowledge of handling the weapon and her knowledge for the use, if somewhat unskilled, of chakra. Actually, the girl had quite a supply of chakra for one who wasn't a shinobi. He wondered if perhaps the girl did have some kind of training in the ninja arts, if somewhat limited. With a thoughtful look to his face, Kakashi pulled out his infamous book, settled down in a nearby chair, and waited for the girl to awaken.

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"Ahhh, that was a good one," Naruto said, as he rubbed his stomach blissfully, walking away from yet another ramen bar. This was the seventh bar the three genin had been to.

Behind the blond boy were Sakura and Sasuke. Both looked at him with very wary eyes, as though he was about to burst with the ramen stuffed in him at any second. For all they knew, he would.

It had been about two hours after they had separated from Kakashi, and the three had been running all over the great city of Hidekatsu, from one ramen bar to the next and to the next and to the next. Sakura and Sasuke now greatly regretted relenting to Naruto's ramen sightseeing. But now Sakura had had enough.

"Alright, that's _it_, Naruto. If I see another ramen noodle again, I will turn your _head _into soup flavoring. It's time to get back on track and do what Kakashi-sensei told us to do," Sakura said, glaring daggers at the blond, as though it were his fault the group had side-tracked. It was.

"Aww, but- but- I still haven't been to the Ishida ramen bar!" Naruto protested. "They're supposed to have the best chicken flavored ramen in the Fire Country!"

"No buts, Naruto. We're going to do what we came here to do," Sakura was resolute. In all of the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months she had spent with the dumb blond had steeled her to his puppy dog pouting eyes. Not that they had ever worked before.

"Fine," Naruto sulked.

"Finally," Sasuke breathed. Though he would never admit a weakness, the sight of ramen was starting to make him sick. It would mean the end of his life if he ever looked weak in front of his unofficial rival. It would mean the end of his life if he actually acknowledged the blond as someone worthy of being his rival. It was just something Uchihas didn't do.

"Let's start over this way," Sakura said. "I think I saw a small side road. That should lead us to the city wall. If we do this systematically, we can cover most of the city with the time we have left." She looked up at the sun. "We still have about four or five hours before sundown. That should give us enough time to make a rough scout of the city, but only if we start immediately." She glared at Naruto. "If we started right after we left Kakashi-sensei, we would have had more time to be thorough."

Naruto scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin.

"Come on, the road's this way," she said, leading the way.

The three genin left the main street and walked towards a dark alley way.

"I think that's a small street up ahead," Sakura said, peering down the alley.

"Then let's go!" Naruto said, grinning confidently as he stepped into the alley.

"Naruto, you baka!" Sakura said. "It's dangerous to walk into dark alleys in a big city."

But she and Sasuke followed the oblivious blond anyway.

It happened when the alley the three had been walking on crossed with another.

"Chiyo-chan!" someone suddenly cried.

Sakura was suddenly tackled as the arms of a small five year old girl threw themselves around the kunoichi. Reflexively, Sakura's arms reached up to hold the small child.

"Chiyo-chan, you're back!" the girl exclaimed loudly. Then she frowned. "What did you do with your hair?"

"Chiyo-chan's back? Is Chiyo-chan back?"

More voices followed as a small crowd of about six or seven young children, ranging from the ages of three to seven, suddenly appeared and ran towards the genin. All, like the girl in Sakura's arms, were dirt stained and dressed in old rags and tattered clothing. They stopped before crashing into the team and frowned.

"You're not Chiyo-chan!" one young girl with messy short brown hair accused.

"Yeah! Your hair's pink!" another yelled.

"Chiyo-chan's is black!"

"And short!"

"And her eyes are brown!"

"And she's skinnier!"

"And prettier!"

Sakura got an anime vein.

"Hey, I told you guys not to run off like that!"

A boy, about eight years old suddenly ran around the corner to the group of children. "Chiyo-chan told me to take care o' you guys! That means I'm in charge and you gotta listen to me! And I told you not to run off like that!" he said loudly, puffing out his chest importantly.

"We listened to you," one of the kids said. "We just didn't do what you told us to do!"

"Yeah, and besides, we thought Chiyo-chan was back!" another shouted.

The eight year old boy's eyes widened in surprise. He finally turned to the three genin in front of him. He stared at Sakura, taking her in. Then he frowned and crossed his arms. "You're not Chiyo-chan. Chiyo-chan's cooler than you!" he declared. Sakura twitched. He glared at Sakura suspiciously. "Are you _really _Chiyo-chan?"

"No," Sakura nearly growled. "I'm not."

"Sorry," the girl in her arms mumbled before slipping down and joining the others children.

The two groups now stared at each other silently.

"Well…" the brown haired girl said, "If you're not Chiyo-chan… then who _are_ you guys?"

Sakura glanced at her two companions. "My name's Sakura. These are my friends, Sasuke and Naruto."

"I'm Keiko!" the brown haired girl declared.

"I'm Fuka!" another girl yelled.

"Susa…" the five year old girl Sakura had been holding said.

"I'm Takako," the eight year old boy said importantly.

"What are you guys doing here?" one of the children, a six year old boy, asked.

"We're looking around the city," Naruto said.

"Why?"

"Because we're–"

"Because we're sightseeing," Sakura said before Naruto revealed their true reasons. She elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"Why don't you come home with us?" one of them yelled.

"Yeah, come home with us!"

"We've never had comp'ny before!"

"We can give you tea and stuff!"

"'xcept we don't have any tea."

"Oh yeah."

"Come anyway!"

"Wait!" Sakura suddenly interjected.

The group of kids looked at her.

"Uh, we still have to see the city..."

The kids glanced at each other.

"Then we'll show you around!"

"Yeah, we know every single places of the city!"

"Chiyo-chan showed us!"

"Let's go!"

The group of children pulled the still shocked genin down the alley. The three followed, slightly dazed. Their goal had been placed in the hands of kids half their age…

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

Consciousness slowly crept into Chiyo as she woke up. Groaning slightly, she opened her eyes and slowly sat up to find herself lying on a very soft and comfortable bed. Bright mid-afternoon sunlight streamed through a window.

"You're up."

Chiyo suddenly jumped at the voice and spun her head around to see the grey haired masked man sitting on a chair near the bed, reading an orange book. Chiyo stared at the cover. She couldn't read the words on the cover, but the picture told her enough. The guy was a pervert.

"Where am I?" Chiyo asked tersely. She looked at the man with wary and suspecting eyes. She had seen enough of the wrong kind of people to not be tense around strangers. Especially grown men who had easily taken her down without drawing a weapon and then didn't kill her. And read perverted covered books.

"You're at the Horiuchi inn," the man said casually. He looked at her.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Chiyo scowled. "It's rude to ask for someone else's name with out first giving yours," she said.

The man raised his eyebrows. "And you would know everything there is to being polite," he said. He tilted his head. "It's Kakashi."

Chiyo hesitated before answering. "I'm Chiyo."

Kakashi nodded. "Chiyo. Well, I hope you're hungry. I ordered something for you to eat," he said, nodding over to a table on the other side of the room.

Chiyo's eyes widened. On the table sat a hot bowl of rice noodles and a plate of warm dango.

She hesitated, throwing a suspicious glance at the masked man.

"I didn't poison it, if that's what you're thinking," he said.

At that, Chiyo jumped out of her bed and began chowing down the food. She closed her eyes blissfully. She had never in her life had a more delicious meal. It was rare enough for her to even _have_ a meal. She slowed down her pace, trying to savor the food. Who knows when she would ever have a meal like this again? Who knew if she would?

Kakashi watched her eat with an unreadable expression. He got up and joined her at the table, though he didn't eat anything.

Chiyo eyed him warily, but continued with her meal. Before she was half way through, though, she stopped and gave a small sigh. Then she grabbed the napkin next to the plate and carefully laid the dango in it, wrapping them up carefully.

"Is there… a box I can put the rest of the noodles in?" she asked Kakashi.

He raised his eyebrows questioningly, but nodded to the take out box the noodles had come in. She carefully poured the rest of her noodles and soup into the box, careful not to spill and placing the lid carefully back on.

Kakashi didn't say a word, just watched her carefully.

When she finally finished, she gave a satisfied sigh and pushed back her chair. She hesitated before bowing to Kakashi.

"Thank you for the meal. I really appreciate it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back home. My Okaa-san's waiting," she said and turned towards the door.

"Hold on a sec," Kakashi said.

Chiyo turned back to him warily with an anime vein. "Look, sir, I'm sorry I tried to steal your money, and I really do appreciate the food, but if you think that will put me in a position that will let you be a sick pervert, you've got another thing coming. I've seen enough kiddy perverts to know they exist."

Kakashi anime sweat-dropped. "No, don't worry, I won't try anything on you. Despite my reading material preferences, I wouldn't lower myself to such despicable acts. I do have a fairly good reputation to uphold. I just want to talk, ask a few questions," he reassured her. "Have a seat," he gestured to the chair she had gotten out of.

Without losing her wary expression, she took the seat. The least she could do to repay the man was to hear him out.

Kakashi was quiet for a moment, staring at Chiyo with an unreadable look. She fidgeted a bit.

"I'm wondering," he finally said. "How you managed to come across one of these."

He reached into his own ninja pouch and pulled out a kunai.

Chiyo hesitated, then said, "Ojii-chan gave me one."

"Ojii-chan?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah. Ojii-chan's just an old geezer. He's really sort of grumpy all the time, and he's irritated all the time. But he's really nice deep, deep down. Really, really deep down. He'll give me something to eat, sometimes. He taught me how to fight and he gave me one of those. He's got a bunch of them. Said they were from his past job. I think he was a ninja. He's always talking about them."

"And he's the one who taught you about chakra?"

Chiyo nodded. "I think that's what they're called. Ojii-chan says they've got something to do with energy and stamina. He says that ninja use the chakra all the time, except they can do even more with it, other than to go fast and run up walls. Like breathe fire and make water dragons and stuff. He even showed me once. He made a wall out of dirt by only moving his hands."

Kakashi nodded, then was quiet again.

"Do you… know the city well?" he asked.

"Yeah… why?" Chiyo asked.

Kakashi only smiled. "I'm new in the city. I don't know my way around everywhere."

Chiyo grinned. "I know the city like I know Ojii-chan loves sushi. I don't know the back of my hand real well, I don't look at it all that much."

Kakashi chuckled. "Well, do you think you could find someone for me? He's an old friend of mine, from back at home. His name's Kazuhiko Sugo. I've got a picture of him." He pulled out a picture from his pocket.

Chiyo looked at it and raised her eyebrows in surprise. "That's Ojii-chan!" she exclaimed.

Kakashi's eyes widened. "I didn't know he had a grandchild…"

Chiyo looked up at him and grinned sheepishly. "Oh, he's not actually my Ojii-chan. I only call him Ojii-chan because he wouldn't tell me his real name. I can call him Turnip-jiichan if it makes it easier to understand."

Kakashi smiled amusedly. "Can you take me to him? I want to ask him a few questions."

Chiyo grinned. Her previous fear and wariness of the man had vanished. "Yeah! It's real close to here. Let's go! I've been meaning to drop in on the old geezer for a while anyway. Maybe he'll give me a new kunai."

She jumped out of her chair and excitedly went to the door. At a more slower pace, Kakashi pocketed the picture and followed the excited girl.

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"That's where the rich people go to eat all o' the time. And then further down is a real fancy store for shoes. I've never seen so many shoes in one place before. How can someone have so many? It's not like they have that many feet…"

"On the other side of the street's where mommies go to get clothes when they have a baby in them. And then there's a sushi bar over there. They sell _raw_ food. Isn't that gross?"

"Over there's where the mean fabric lady is. One time she yelled at me for looking at the stuff. I wasn't touching it. She said I scaring off customers. I didn't know I could scare people…"

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke followed the babbling children, half-listening to their description of everything. It was still a surprise to them, how they had only begun to start their mission before they were suddenly shown the city with a group of young tour guides. The children were actually systematic in the way they toured around the city, going all the way down one street and then going onto the next one. It seemed they really did know their way around.

The three were still hesitant about being shown the way by a group of children, probably dirt poor, and were half their own age. But somewhere in their minds, they couldn't help but follow the children, instead of slipping away like they probably should have. Something about the children tugged at their hearts. Perhaps it was the way they were always smiling, laughing. Perhaps it was the way that under all the dirt, they were adorable, as all young children were, even the eight year old boy, who still tried to be mature and gain control of the group as they went from street to street. Perhaps it was the way they still seemed to be happy, despite the reality of their life and their home. Perhaps it was just that they were children. Whatever the reason, the three genin wouldn't be able to leave the group of kids, even if they wanted to. They didn't.

The group of kids paused when they reached a certain part of the city.

They looked down the street with curious eyes, but seemed hesitant to continue down it.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"That's the red district," Keiko said factually.

"Chiyo-chan says we're not supposed to go down there," Susa said softly.

"But Chiyo-chan's not here!"

The group smiled excitedly.

"But it's _Chiyo-chan_ who said not to go…"

The excited smiles disappeared to give way to a slightly guilty look.

The three glanced at each other. They knew that the red district would be a place filled with questionable material for the children who were half their age. But they still need a guide. The children were proving themselves to be very useful. Their systematic run through of the city helped the three genin store the information and locations in their heads, and their quick pace kept Naruto from distracting the group and running off to yet another ramen bar. They had seen several already, and though Naruto swore to visit them the next day, he didn't run off. And though the material in the red district was very inappropriate, for both them and the children, it was a large part of the city. The shinobi needed to know everything about the city in order to know where they could go if things got messy. Besides, if they stayed on the streets and didn't go into any building, they should be relatively safe, right?

"Well, we'll be with you in the red district," Sakura said.

"We can protect you if anything happens," Naruto added.

_And cover your eyes if anything… inappropriate… shows up…_Sakura silently added.

"Nothing will happen," Sasuke said, though it wasn't sure whether it was said to reassure the children or to retort Naruto's comment.

"But Chiyo-chan said to stay out," Fuka said. "I don't wanna not listen to Chiyo-chan…"

The group was quiet for a moment.

"Well…" Takako said. "We did say we were going to show them…"

"Chiyo-chan doesn't like it when we say one thing and do another…"

"Does that mean we're gonna go in?"

"… What would Chiyo-chan do?!"

"Yeah, if we think like Chiyo-chan we would do the right thing! Chiyo-chan's always right!"

The group then put on extremely concentrated expressions.

Then, all at once, they said, "Chiyo-chan would take 'em!"

"Ok, let's go!"

Once again, the genin of team seven found themselves pulled along with the crowd of children into the red district.

"We've never been here before," Takako said. "Chiyo-chan wouldn't let us. But we have a good idea of where everything is and where the red district ends and all the places after that."

The group walked along the wide street, glancing at all the bright signs and flashing lights. Though it was the middle of the afternoon, the red district was still hosting a large crowd. The crowd would grow rather huge when the night set in.

Since the children didn't know the area as well as they knew the rest of the city, they were quiet and chattering among themselves, allowing the older members of their group observe the area. There was no trouble until they were almost at the end of the district.

Showing the genin a back road that the children knew of –it was used often to escape any street thugs and angry store owners– the group was just walking back out of the alley and onto the main street of the district when a small argument broke out among the children –they were children after all, what could one expect?

One of the small girls, Seki, about seven years old, stuck her tongue out at the opposing figure, Taiki, a six year old boy, and ran out onto the street, before bumping into someone.

"Ah, gomen-nasai," she said quickly.

"Watch where you're going you little brat," he growled. He reached out and picked Seki up by the collar of her ragged shirt. "You shouldn't go running around here, girl. Someone oughta teach you a lesson; show you the reason why you're a lowly _girl_."

Seki let out a whimper.

"Seki-chan!" the other children cried.

"It's a kiddy pervert!" Fuka said fearfully, hugging Sakura's leg.

"Let her go!" Takako yelled, and ran towards the big man. He managed to kick him in the shin before the man growled and kicked him off. Takako hit the wall with his back and slumped to the ground. He raised his head, glaring at the man with ill-concealed hatred for hurting him and threatening Seki.

The three genin frowned. Sakura gently picked Fuka off of her leg and the three shinobi tensed into a battle stance.

"Let her go," Sasuke said quietly.

The man glanced at him and the other two and sneered. "Aw, look, another kiddy. What, do you think you're going to fight me? Ha, you must be outta your mind. I could beat you into a pulp."

Sasuke could smell alcohol on the man's breath. He smirked. This would be easy.

"Let's go," he said to Sakura and Naruto.

"Right on!" Naruto said. He did a hand sign and two Kage Bunshins popped up.

The man's eyes narrowed. "_Shinobi!_"

He threw Seki away from him and tensed. Sakura caught the scared girl before she hit the ground.

"Let me handle the guy," Naruto grinned. "He's just a dump drunk. It'll be easy."

"And let you have all the fun?" Sasuke smirked. "No way."

"Boys," Sakura breathed exasperatedly. She stood by the small group of children, ready to protect them if anything came their way. "Don't make a big scene," Sakura warned them. "We're supposed to avoid attracting attention."

"Right," Naruto grinned. "We'll just make this look like any old street fight."

"Except it'll be the little guy that beats the big guy," Sasuke smirked.

"You three talk tough for being little midgets," the man growled. "But don't think that I'm just any regular street thug!"

He reached into his pocket and drew out a dagger.

"I've dealt with shinobi filth before!"

Sasuke and Naruto only smirked.

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"This way," Chiyo whispered.

She quietly led Kakashi down a dark alley. Ahead, Kakashi could see a small wall of a tiny shack or hut. A single shirt hung on the clothes line beside it. There were a few tattered straw baskets lying around, and one or two chickens roamed around inside a small fenced off area.

"Don't make a sound," she whispered to Kakashi. Kakashi wondered why she was whispering and felt a slight sense of dread when he saw a mischievous grin on her face.

The two of them crept up to the hut wall and peered around its corner to the see the front of the shack. There, sitting by the front door, sat the old man Chiyo called Ojii-chan, whittling away at a scrap piece of wood. From where the two of them were, they could hear quiet grumblings coming from him.

Chiyo's mischievous grin widened. She turned around and raised a finger to her lips, signaling for silence.

"You stay here," she whispered and then, focusing chakra to her hands and feet, she climbed up the hut wall, disappearing on to the roof. Kakashi raised his eyebrows questioningly, but did as he was told, turning back to peer around the corner.

The old man suddenly stopped whittling. To Kakashi's shock and surprise, the man subtly turned his head and looked at Kakashi in the eye and smirked.

"Rah!"

Suddenly, Chiyo jumped from the roof, aiming for the old man's back.

But faster than many would believe possible for an old man like him, he turned around, grabbed the flying girl from mid-air, and pinned her to the ground.

"Ah, darn it! You caught me!" Chiyo exclaimed, her face smushed to the ground.

"I told you not to try to jump me again," the old man grumbled, letting her go and picking up the piece of wood he had dropped. Chiyo sat up and rubbed her face, scowling at the old man.

"You didn't have to be so hard, Ojii-chan," she grumbled.

"You asked for it," he said bluntly. Chiyo stuck her tongue out at him.

"I brought someone to come see you," she said, past grievances quickly forgotten. "This is Kakashi-san."

Kakashi lazily walked out from behind the corner.

"Long time no see, Sugo-san," he said to the old man.

Sugo grunted. "What do you want this time, Hatake," he asked bluntly.

Kakashi just grinned lazily. Sugo's eye twitched.

"Do you know him, Ojii-chan?" Chiyo asked. "How come you never told me?"

"Shush, kid. Go bug someone else. And take Hatake with you," he grumbled.

"But I wanna bug you!" Chiyo said with wide innocent eyes.

Sugo anime sweat-dropped. He glared at the young girl for a moment. Then he sighed. "I guess I'd better let you in, then, huh?"

With a grunt, he lifted himself up, reaching out to take hold of a cane that leaned by the wall next to him.

He was missing a leg.

Kakashi looked at the stump with an unreadable expression as he was reminded of what had led this man, a former jounin elite of Konoha, into early retirement.

Chiyo quickly opened the door and let herself in.

"Come on in," Sugo grunted to Kakashi. Kakashi bowed and went in after Sugo.

Inside was a single room. By the side of the room was a simple bed, its sheets and blanket unmade. Next to the bed stood a bookshelf. But instead of books, it was filled with a variety of things, though a collection of weapons dominated its shelves. On the other side of the room was a small heater and an old fashioned iron stove. By the stove was a small counter and sink, though the sink was tap-less. Water was gotten from a pump in the back. In the middle of the room was a simple wooden table with two chairs.

Sugo settled into one of them and gestured Kakashi to the other one. Kakashi sat down as well.

"Chiyo, go outside and get some firewood. Then make us some tea. There should be some in the little box by the food over there," Sugo ordered.

Chiyo scowled at his orders, but did as she was told, going back outside and around the hut to the back.

Kakashi looked amused. "Still giving out orders, eh?"

Sugo scowled. "Aren't you?" he countered.

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. "You know?"

"Of course I do. I might not be in Konoha, but word still gets around. Never figured you'd take in a team of snotty nosed brats, though," Sugo said.

Kakashi chuckled. "Neither did I. But it looks like you've got a kid of your own," he said.

Sugo scowled again. "She's not mine. She just turns up every now and then and gives me h'll."

Kakashi only smiled.

"I heard that, you old geezer," Chiyo said, walking back into the hut with an armful of wood.

"And I heard it was rude to eavesdrop," Sugo countered.

"Hard not to when you're so loud," Chiyo said brightly. She set the wood down by the iron stove and began building a fire in it.

Sugo scowled again.

"Hey, Turnip-jiichan, can I have another kunai?" Chiyo asked while rummaging through some boxes of food, looking for box of tea.

Sugo choked and coughed violently. "Turnip?! Where the h'll did you get that from?!"

Chiyo turned around and grinned at Kakashi who was laughing quietly.

"Nowhere," she said cheekily, turning back to her task of looking for tea.

Sugo glared at the back of the girl and then threw a glance at Kakashi, who was still chuckling.

"You brats are conspiring against me," he growled under his breath. "Whatever, take whatever you want. Where'd your last one go?"

Chiyo glanced sheepishly at Kakashi. "I lost it when I tried to get Kakashi-san's money."

Sugo's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Oho! So you tried to rob a shinobi! Ha, bet you learned your lesson now, eh, brat?"

Chiyo scowled. "I didn't know he was a shinobi!" she protested.

"Of course you didn't," Sugo said. "We're good at hiding our identities when we're supposed to. You wouldn't recognize one if you tripped and bumped into him on the street."

Chiyo and Kakashi both anime sweat-dropped. Chiyo blushed.

"Anyway," Sugo turned back to Kakashi. "Why're you here?"

Kakashi glanced at Chiyo.

"Chiyo, go outside and get some water for the tea," Sugo said. "And be slow about it."

The scrawny girl scowled, having hoped to learn of the matter. "Fine," she grumbled. She got a metal bucket from beside the stove and went back outside, once again disappearing around the back.

"Alright, she won't be giving us anymore trouble for now," Sugo said, turning serious.

Kakashi nodded. "I'm sure you realize, but I'm not here on a whim to visit Hidekatsu. My genin team's here with me. We're on a mission. I was hoping you could help me. I know you have a good ear for stuff like this."

Sugo grunted. "And what exactly is 'stuff like this'?" he asked.

Kakashi paused. "The mission my team is on… is a B-ranked mission," Kakashi confessed.

"B-ranked?" Sugo said, surprised. "I thought genin were only supposed to take on D-rank, and maybe the occasional C!"

Kakashi smiled ruefully. "They are. I asked for this one specifically from the Hokage."

Sugo frowned. "Why would you do that?"

"I wanted to take them out to this sort of environment," Kakashi said. "I wanted to do some special training around here, and I wanted them to get used to these kinds of missions. This mission just happened to be the most recent to-do task. I told the Hokage I could handle it; you know I can. I just wanted to take my genin with me, see how well _they_ do under the circumstances…"

"That's a risky move, Hatake," Sugo said. "Things can very easily get messy, especially around here."

Kakashi nodded. "I know. That's why they're taking a look around the city now. To know where things are in case they need a quick escape route."

"Good," Sugo said. "Just make sure you keep an eye on them. Kids these days think they can do anything. If your genin are anything like you used to be, they'll go _looking_ for trouble. What's the mission and why are you getting me involved?"

Kakashi smiled at his bluntness. "Here," he said. Kakashi took out his bingo book and flipped it open to a certain page. "Our mission is to track down this man, Kayashima Senri. His partner is on page 67, a guy named Umeda Inoue. Both are missing nin from the Grass Country, about high chuunin, low jounin level. They were seen in the Fire Country, and sources say they were heading in this city's direction."

Sugo scowled. "I know that guy," he said, glaring at the picture of Senri. "That maniac gave me this scar here." Sugo rolled up his sleeves to show a diagonal scar on his left forearm. "The b'stard ran off before I could pay him back. I got his old partner, but it looks like he's found a new friend. How long since he was last seen?"

"About three days ago, when Konoha got the last tip off. It took about that long for my team to get here. I think they're in the city, but I'm not sure. I was hoping you could find out for me," Kakashi said.

Sugo nodded. "I can do that," he said. Then he smirked. "You might not like the way I do things, though."

"Hm?" Kakashi asked. "What do you mean?"

"I use a mix of spies," Sugo answered. "There are a few other retired shinobi around here that keep an ear out on things and tell me about new news. And then, I've got the occasional mercenary samurai that will come for a quick buck and snoop things out a bit. But most of my news comes from…" Sugo looked out the door, "kids like her."

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. "Kids like… Chiyo? Isn't that pretty risky on their lives?"

Sugo nodded. "But politicians love to hear things they're not supposed to, and there are a lot of those in Hidekatsu. The ones with the best of hearing are usually those with nothing better to do. And who pays attention to the existence to those who have a supposedly pathetic one? Most of these kids die before they reach twenty, anyway. This way, they can earn money and maybe that will greater the chances of their survival. Maybe, if they're smart, they learn to save the money they make and then get out of this part of the city."

Kakashi looked at the old man with a thoughtful expression. "You know… you can probably find a more comfortable home in Konoha. Retirement funds are set up for retired shinobi," Kakashi said quietly. He looked around the small hut that was stationed by and behind all the buildings. The towering structures surrounded the old man's home like trees in a great forest. "For all the things you've done for the village, you could easily find a nice apartment. A good bed, a fridge, sink… indoor plumbing…"

Sugo smiled ruefully. "Yeah, I bet I could," he said. "But… I really don't feel like living around a shinobi village. I guess one shinobi war is enough for me. And I've been in enough missions to make the thought of it ache my old bones," he said. He took a deep breath. "I guess maybe I should have picked a nice small house in the country side, or maybe a small hut by the forests, but… oh well. What's done is done. I'm already settled in here. No point in moving around. I don't want to spend half of the rest of my life simply walking back to Konoha."

Kakashi chuckled softly, but he said, "You shouldn't talk like that… It's only a two and a half day walk from here to Konoha…"

Sugo just smirked.

The two men were quiet for a moment.

Kakashi turned back to Sugo. "What about the girl? Chiyo? What's her story?"

Sugo frowned. "I'm not quite sure. I don't think there's really all that much of one," he said.

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. "You're not sure? I thought you always checked out the people around you. I bet you know what kind of tea the owner of the building next door drinks."

Sugo smirked. "The owner doesn't drink tea, he's an alcoholic," he said. Then he frowned, his expression slightly looking a bit uncomfortable. "I don't know, I guess her business is just none of mine. I don't really… want to intrude on her personal stuff…"

Kakashi's eyebrows rose even higher. "Kazuhiko Sugo, former elite jounin, ex-ANBU member, and captain of the Konoha intelligence squad… are you telling me you've gotten soft for her?" Kakashi asked, almost teasingly.

Sugo scowled, though Kakashi noticed that the old man didn't deny it. Kakashi chuckled.

"Well, what _do_ you know?" he asked, his black eye still twinkling with mirth.

Sugo glared at the young jounin before he answered. "She's an orphan. Has been for all of her life. I think she told me she was born in a brothel and that her mother died from the pregnancy. The women there didn't want to spend the time and money raising a baby to become a later prostitute. Maybe if the girl was to go back now, but Chiyo's got too much self-respect to do something like that. Of course, no one knows who the father is. Then, she told me that she was raised by a little old lady at a tea shop that's now closed down. The lady died when Chiyo was six. After that, I'm not sure what happened, but now, Chiyo's living off the street like most of the other orphans in this city."

"Why don't you send her to Konoha to be adopted? Or take her in yourself?" Kakashi asked.

"I would," the old man said bluntly. "But like I said, the girl's got a lot of self-respect. She doesn't take kindly to pity. If I offered… I don't think she would ever come back to let it happen… She'd just… disappear in the city…"

Kakashi nodded slowly.

"I don't think…" Sugo suddenly said in a thoughtful tone, "I don't think that she's alone. Actually, I'm positive she isn't. I'm not sure who she lives with now, actually, I haven't found out where she's staying, but I do know she's not alone."

"How do you figure that?" Kakashi asked.

"By the way she's always taking food home," Sugo said.

"Couldn't she just be saving them for herself, to eat later?" Kakashi asked. That's what he had thought when he saw her packing up the meal at the inn.

"She could, but I don't think that's the case. If it were the case I don't think she would leave so much uneaten, before she packs it up to bring back to wherever it is she stays at. I feed most of the kids that come by here. Most of them will attack their food, inhale it." Kakashi was suddenly reminded of Naruto and his ramen. "But Chiyo… she'll eat less than half of it, and then pack it up. I'm thinking she takes it home to feed some other hungry mouth. Maybe more than one. But I haven't found out for sure myself. I… don't want to intrude. I figure, if she wants me to know, she'll tell me herself," Sugo shrugged.

Kakashi nodded. He paused for a moment. Then he noticed a plant that sat on the bookshelf, by the window. It was a small plant, with wide leaves. In its center was a single purple flower.

"Hey," he said, surprised. "It's finally growing!"

"Eh?" Sugo turned to look at the plant. Then he chuckled victoriously. "Yeah, that stubborn thing's finally green. I can't remember how many years I labored over that weed. I don't know why I spent so much money on it. All those different fertilizers, placing it in so many different places back at my apartment in Konoha; I even tried giving it different brands of bottled water! How crazy is that? Then I take it here and it starts growing like crazy. H'll, I don't know, maybe it's the air. Maybe stubborn plants like that like polluted city air or something."

"When did it start growing?"

Sugo frowned. "… I guess… about the same time Chiyo started showing up around here…"

The two men were quiet.

"Speaking of which, where is that irritable girl, anyway?" Sugo suddenly grumbled. Kakashi smiled. He supposed Sugo couldn't be caring and concerned for long. "How long does it take to get a d'mn bucket of water? Girl! I want my tea!" Sugo roared.

"Alright, alright!" Chiyo yelled back, appearing at the door with the bucket filled with water. Kakashi was laughing quietly. "It's not my fault! Your darn pump was stuck! Do you know how many million times I had to pump the friggin' thing? I swear my arm's about to fall off!" the girl grumbled, pouring the water into a ceramic teapot and setting it above the stove. Then she placed the firewood into the stove and lit the fire.

"Always complaining," Sugo grumbled. "I don't know why I put up with you."

Chiyo stuck her tongue out at the old man's back. Then she gave him an unreadable expression. Sugo had his back turned to her, but Kakashi caught sight of the look. He wondered how much Chiyo had heard of their conversation. Chiyo saw him looking at her and grinned cheekily. She turned back as the water started to boil.

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

Thump.

The man's body fell heavily to the floor. About a yard away, Naruto and Sasuke landed lightly on their feet and smirked at the downed man with triumph written all over their faces.

"Whoa!!"

Startled, the two boys turned around to see the awestruck and astounded faces of their forgotten young audience.

Sakura quickly looked around. Luckily, the fight took place in the alley the kids had just showed the genin. No one had seen the boys fighting the larger man. Well, no one, that is, except for the young children who had acted as their guards.

Sakura sighed with exasperation. Boys. It seemed they always had to find some way to show off. Seriously, was ten doppelgangers, Sasuke's fireball jutsu, ten more doppelgangers, and a countless number of shuriken and kunai really needed to fight a drunk, perverted, fat lard? Even if the man had claimed to have had experience with fighting shinobi? In truth, if the man _did_ have experience fighting shinobi… it will have been with academy student ninja. The boys really did go overboard…

"That was amazing!"

Sakura was snapped out of her reverie by the gushing cries of awe coming from the children.

"Are you guys really ninjas?"

"You just beat him like this–"

"You're so strong!"

"And then you hit him like this–"

"Can you teach me to fight like that?"

"And the guy flew up–"

"Just how strong are you guys?"

"And then he hit the ground–"

"Would you hit a girl?"

"And then you pulled out all those knives–"

"Are those really sharp?"

"And then the guy was defeated!"

There was a break as the children took a deep breath.

"That was really cool," Fuka said.

"Yeah… even Chiyo-chan can't do it like that," Taiki said slowly.

The children looked at each other and their expression turned guilty.

"Not that she couldn't totally beat the guy," Keiko amended.

"Yeah, Chiyo-chan would beat the guy's butt," Fuka said.

"In one hits," said the three year old boy, Nakao.

"Definitely," Susa said softly.

Sakura smiled affectionately at the kids. Then she felt a small tug at the hem of her dress. She looked down to see Seki, the girl who had bumped into the man.

"Arigato Sakura-chan," she said. She turned to the boys. "Arigato Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke scowled and looked away, blushing slightly at the thanks. "Whatever," he muttered. But he couldn't help but feel proud at the children's admiration.

Naruto was a little less humble. "No problem! I was pretty cool, wasn't I? Did you see me hit the guy? Like about a million times!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Then he remembered about Takako, the eight year old boy who had first run up against the man. He glanced around to find the boy standing slightly apart from the admiring crowd. The bangs of his hair covered his eyes.

"Alright," Sakura snapped. "That's enough of that, Naruto. Don't you kids say another word to him; his head will get so big it'll explode. Not that that's really a bad thing."

That immediately shut the young children up. They honestly didn't want to see one of their newest heroes get his head blown up.

"Aww, Sakura-chaaan," Naruto protested.

"Shut it, baka," Sakura said. "We've spent too much time messing around. We're supposed to be looking around the city, remember?" She glanced up at the sky. "We've only got about two more hours left." She turned to the young children. "Do you think we can pick up the pace? We want to be able to see the whole city by sundown. Can we do that?"

The kids glanced at each other.

"I think… we can, if we take some o' the alleys and side roads or back roads and stuff," Keiko said.

Sakura nodded. "Good. Let's get going then, we don't have much time."

"Aww, we've got plenty of time," Naruto said. "You know Kakashi-sensei's always late. We probably have until midnight, with the way he is."

Sakura scowled. "Just get going," she said, in a dangerous voice.

"Eheh," Naruto laughed nervously, putting his hands up in defense. "I'm going."

And the group set out yet again.

Sasuke couldn't help but notice how the eldest member of the tour guides was now the quietest.

XxX

"Whew, what a day," Sakura said, once the three genin got back to the Horiuchi inn.

Though she had her own room, being a girl, at the moment, she exhaustedly dropped her bag by the door of the boys' rooms and slumped onto a chair. She would have slumped onto a bed, but there were only two beds and she felt it was improper for her to lie down on her sensei's bed, she didn't want Naruto to get the wrong idea, and she didn't want to impose, though her inner Sakura did, on Sasuke by slumping down on his bed. Then she quickly straightened up. Girls didn't slump.

"Ahhh, what a poor record," Naruto complained, falling into his bed. "My first day at the great Hidekatsu city and I only got to visit seven ramen bars! That's horrible! My goal was to visit _all_ of them, and then do it again tomorrow!"

"You're sick, Naruto," Sasuke said. There was no way any normal organism could eat all the ramen Naruto had already eaten that day. No normal organism in the world. Not even a strange organism.

"Well, at least we managed to take a rough scout of the city," Sakura said. "We even got to look at most of the alley ways. That has to be a good thing. We'll most likely be moving in alleys anyway." She paused for a moment. "I wonder… if we'll even see those kids again. They were sweet…"

Naruto and Sasuke glanced at her.

"Probably… I mean, they do…" Sasuke drifted off and started to feel uncomfortable. He had meant to say that they lived on the street, when he realized that they probably _did_ live on the street. He couldn't help but suddenly look around the, though not for the richest, inn room that they were in. It was spacious, with three comfortable beds. The kids probably slept on the dirt floor.

Sakura also started to look uncomfortable. She understood why Sasuke had drifted off. Naruto took a little longer to understand, but he got it eventually.

"Um… I feel sorta bad…" he said. "Maybe we can find them and bring them back here!"

He was about to jump up when Sakura said, "There's no way we'll be able to find them, Naruto. It's dark out, and they know every little hiding place in the city. If we want to see them… we'll have to wait until they want to see us…"

The three were quiet for a moment. "Maybe I should have saved some ramen for them…" Naruto said quietly.

Sakura laughed quietly. "We didn't know they would be coming," she said. Then her face turned determined. "But next time we see them, we'll buy them a whole bunch of ramen, how about that?"

The two boys grinned and nodded.

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"Alright, I think it's about time I got back to my team," Kakashi said, setting his teacup down and getting up. Chiyo looked up from where she sat on Sugo's bed. She looked out of the window. Night had set in.

"Oh no, I have to go, too!" she exclaimed. She scrambled off of Sugo's bed and ran to the door, picking up the leftover meal from earlier with Kakashi. She turned around to face him. "If we go now, I can show you the quickest way to the inn," she offered.

Kakashi nodded and started for the door and Sugo placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I should have some information by the day after tomorrow," Sugo said. "You can come by then. I'll send someone after you if I find out something before then. Tomorrow, you give your kids whatever training you had planned for them here in the city, but don't let your kids start asking around. I'll assume that they haven't done anything like this in any previous mission, so they might set up an alarm. You'll put my kids in danger if the targets start becoming suspicious while they're being tailed. If you're going to be by yourself, without your kids, I guess you'll be doing some sniffing around yourself. Chiyo, stay with Kakashi tomorrow. I trust your sense of direction and instinct around this city more than I trust his. And come to me if he has anything to send to me or if anything happens, understood?"

Chiyo hesitated, wondering if she was really going to let some old geezer order her around, but then she nodded. Ojii-chan was being serious. He was only ever serious if important stuff was going on. Chiyo assumed this was important. At least to Ojii-chan.

"Hai, Ojii-chan. I'll meet you sometime in the middle of the morning, if that's ok," she said to Kakashi.

He nodded. "That's fine. Where should we meet?"

Chiyo looked a bit startled by the question, but then she grinned. "No worries. I'll find you!" she said cheekily.

"Insufferable brat," Sugo grumbled.

Chiyo stuck her tongue out at the old man. "Grumpy Turnip-jiichan!" she said before she disappeared out the door. Kakashi laughed as he walked out the door after her, a long stream of profanities following behind him.

Less than five minutes later, he was back at the inn.

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"Chiyo-chan's back! Chiyo-chan's back!"

Excited cries filled the little make-shift home as Chiyo ducked under the short 'roof', her back and arms occupied with three children hanging off of her.

The home was small, made of random pieces of sticks, boards, and cloth. It was only tall enough for an eight year old to stand straight in. the make-shift home was propped up against the side of an old building, and then surrounded by all the other towering buildings, which stood to hide the little home from public view. Outside, looked like what it was; a rough idea of a tiny home, with stacked up pieces of sticks and board. Inside, it was simple. An old thrown out rug was placed on the floor. Other random pieces of old and torn fabric marked the children's substitution for a bed. A small bucket sat next to the stone wall of the building, used to get water from any nearby water pump. Chiyo usually got the water from Sugo's backyard pump. Random pieces of old and broken toys the children had gathered from the streets littered the inside of the home. Chiyo had made the home herself, with the help of the first few orphans who had joined her little family. Everyone who lived in the makeshift was an orphan.

"Haha, hey guys!" she laughed. "Guess what? I brought back something to eat!"

"Yay!" cheers erupted from the young kids and they scrambled to tug the napkin wrapped food and noodle filled bucket from her hands and pocket.

"Whoa, hold on, don't spill it!" she warned. But there was no way anyone in the make-shift home would allow a single drop of crumb of precious food to be spilled.

Keiko took the food and laid it carefully on the ground.

"Ok, before we dig in, I want to take a head count!" Chiyo said.

"Hai!" the kids said, and everyone froze where they stood or sat. Head counts were important. Everyone in the little make-shift was the only family any of them had.

"Takako!"

"Hai!"

"Seki!"

"Hai!"

"Keiko!"

"Hai!

"Taiki!"

"Hai!

"Susa!"

"Hai!"

"Fuka!"

"Hai!"

"Nakao!"

"Hai!"

"Chiyo-chan!" all the kids called out.

"Hai!" Chiyo laughed. "Ok, split up the food evenly. There should be enough dango for everyone to have two."

"What about you, Chiyo-chan?" Keiko asked.

"Huh? Oh, I've already eaten," she reassured. "Besides, I'm not as hungry as you guys. Make sure you eat up!"

She looked around and saw the eight year old boy. His face was down and Chiyo could tell something was on his mind, something that bugged him.

"Hey, Takako," she said.

The boy looked up.

"Great job taking care of the kids," Chiyo smiled.

Takako looked startled. "R-really…?"

Chiyo grinned. "Absolutely. They're all still here, right? I couldn't have done a better job. You'll take care of them again, while I'm gone, right?"

The young boy looked startled, then a smile slowly crept up. "Ok…"

"Good," Chiyo said.

"Chiyo-chan, you'll never guess what happened today!" Seki said.

"Yeah, we met a bunch of grown up kids! They were the same years old as you, I think," Fuka said.

"They were really nice," Susa said quietly.

"They were ninjas!" Taiki said.

"Ninjas?" Chiyo looked at the kids in surprise. Could they be the kids Kakashi-san was talking about?

"Well," Chiyo said. She then picked up three-year old Nakao and sat him on her cross-legged lap. "You'll just have to tell me everything that happened. And then I'll tell you about my day, how about that?"


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, Naruto would be with Hinata by now, and Lee would have his eyebrows plucked ;P

Second chappie up!! And I've already gotten two reviews XDD

**Hinata Hyuga is who I am**: Thank you so much, and I'll try my best!!

**Draw4life**: Thank you so much for your support XD. Yes, I know, I'll do it as soon as I finish my homework o . o Thank you so much for reviewing!

For the rest of you readers, thank you for reading! I know a lot of it is probably not nearly as good a lot of the other stuff you read. I promise to try my best in improving my story and writing ability, 'nice guy pose'. Thanks again for reading! Reviews and constructive criticism is appreciated.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

Chapter two:

_Dandelions: Those are the ugly yellow spots everyone seems to have on their lawn at least a billion times at once. But I have to admit, for them, I have nothing but respect. Even if they're annoying. They've got to be the hardiest of weeds; no matter what you do, they're always there. And it must annoy a lot of people, the way they're so bright and yellow and cheerful looking even while everyone hates them. I look at them and immediately think summer, or sun, or something yellow. I never really saw why they annoyed people so much. It was probably because I'd never had a lawn for those dandelions to mess up, living on the streets and all. Then again, Hidekatsu was never much of an ideal environment for plants. But those dandelions showed up anywhere, anyway. I think, at one point, they began to remind me of Naruto-kun. Unwanted, yet still so bright and cheerful. He's a true survivor… For him, I have nothing but respect. Even if he's annoying._

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"Wow, Kakashi-sensei, you're actually on time," Sakura said with disbelief.

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. "Yes, well, I've got an appointment and I guess I'd rather not be late for it… The sooner I get rid of you three, the sooner I can get to the appointment."

"You care about making it to the appointment on time, but you don't care about being on time for our training?" Naruto asked loudly.

"I guess now you know where my priorities lay," Kakashi smiled.

The three genin anime sweat-dropped.

It was the second day since Team Seven had first arrived to the city of Hidekatsu. The night before, Kakashi had arrived a few hours after the sun had set. The four had then gone out to dinner, eating at the small restaurant next to the inn. None had eaten a lot. All had a few certain people on their minds. Even Naruto, who had ordered ramen, had only eaten two bowls, a drastic decrease to his usual amount. Instead, the two groups shared their day's experiences, the three genin talking about the ally ways they had gone through, Kakashi… well, he was as vague as ever in his description. All he said was that he had contacted an efficient informant and that he would be waiting for the informant to contact him when there was news. Both parties refrained from mentioning those certain people they had on their minds.

"Alright, let's get to it," Kakashi said. "Today, we're going to forget about the mission for a sec and focus on a new training exercise I have planned for you."

The three genin straightened up.

"This is an exercise that will help hone your skills for verbal tracking," Kakashi said.

"Verbal tracking?" Naruto asked.

"Tracking through the words of others, especially through the words of ordinary civilians," Sakura said.

Kakashi nodded. "Tracking isn't always done with the senses. Many of your future missions, should you continue the path of a shinobi, calls for you to track down an item or person. Often times, using your sense of sight, hearing, or smell isn't enough. A person can be easily lost if he or she enters a crowded town or city, one like Hidekatsu. A crowd is obviously too loud for you to use your hearing; with sight, you can easily mistake a civilian for your target; and there are too many different scents to use your nose. You can try to track someone with their chakra signatures, but if the target enters a shinobi populace, you're at a dead end. That's where this skill comes in handy.

If you ever come to the situation where your senses won't get a tracking job done, the next source of information you go to is the ordinary civilian. It will surprise you, the amount of things other people notice. Anything out of ordinary will catch many a person's eye. Today, you guys are going to work on developing the skill to ask people for information without arousing any suspicion. It's almost always necessary in order to survive that the target doesn't know you're tracking them, or if they already know you're tracking them, that they don't know how much you know, what you're asking for, and how far you are to reaching them.

Here's what you will do. I have hidden, throughout the city, three items of utmost importance. In the entire world, only one copy of each of these items exists. I just happen to be in possession on these most rare items. That I have gone out of my way to hide them and have them out of my hands shows that I have placed my trust in that you three will be able to find them. Believe me. Under this cool mask and handsome face of mine, I am screaming to have those three items back. You just can't tell. That's how extremely important those items are."

"What… are they?" Naruto brought up the courage to ask.

All three tensed. What could these items be that would have their sensei screaming inside?

With a most serious look in his eyes, Kakashi answered them.

"A Collector's Item Icha Icha Paradise toothbrush, a Collector's Item Icha Icha Paradise 2nd Edition complete with the author's signature, and a Collector's Item Icha Icha Paradise pair of boxers," Kakashi said in all seriousness. Then he grinned. "In pink!"

The three genin stared at their sensei with white bulgy eyes, anime sweat-drops, anime veins, and anime dread marks.

"Wh- what…?!"

"I know," Kakashi said. "I even shocked myself that I was able to let those treasured items out of my hand. I hope you realize how much I'm trusting you to get them back to me. And I hope… you know what the consequences are… if you don't…"

The three genin gulped loudly at the murderous aura that rolled off of the frightening man in front of them.

"Well? Shouldn't you get to it?" Kakashi asked in a low voice. "The sooner they're back in my hands… the longer you have to live…"

The three immediately turned around and briskly walked down the street.

Kakashi gave a single nod in approval of their fast pace, though he personally thought they could be faster.

"Icha Icha Paradise?"

Slightly startled, Kakashi turned around to see Chiyo jumping out of a dark nearby alley.

"I think I've heard of those. Aren't they supposed to be written by the biggest pervert in the continent?"

"They are written by a most talented author," Kakashi said haughtily. "But I suppose I shouldn't expect a _child _like you to understand. They can only be truly appreciated by the _mature _audience."

"Mature? I'm sure," Chiyo said, grinning. She looked down the street. "Are they your students? The ones you were talking about yesterday with Ojii-chan?"

Kakashi looked down the same direction. By now, he could only just barely see the backs of his students. The colorful outfits they –especially Naruto- wore blinked occasionally as people crossed behind them.

"Yep," Kakashi said. "That's my team, consisting of Na-"

"Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura?" Chiyo interrupted.

Kakashi's eyebrow went up in surprise. "Yes, how…"

Chiyo grinned cheekily. "I have my ways," was all she said. "Do you have something planned?" she asked, referring to the day's task at hand. "Or do you want to do this the traditional way?"

"Traditional way?" Kakashi raised his eyebrows.

"Taking a look at all the shady places and hope to bump into some information," Chiyo said. "Unless we're given a place, that's what we usually do, me and the other spies Ojii-chan has."

Kakashi looked at the young girl. "And do you… do this often?"

Chiyo shrugged. "I suppose I do it often enough. It pays fairly well. Money is the blood that keeps this city running after all."

Kakashi looked at her for a while longer, then he shrugged. "The traditional way sounds good. I do have a place I want to check out first. If we can stop by there…"

Chiyo grinned. "Let's go!"

The two started on their way.

"Pink boxers?"

"It's art."

Xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

" 'Cough' could you, uh, ehem, tell me if you've, uh, seen some, 'sniff', some pink boxers?"

The lady stared at Sasuke. He blushed furiously.

"Never mind," he muttered and quickly walked out of the shop.

"Well? Well? Did the lady see anything?" Naruto asked when he saw Sasuke come out.

"No," he muttered.

"Darn it, that's the seventh time we've hit a dead answer," Naruto complained. "Out of seven times! Sasuke, it's all your fault."

"All my fault?!" Sasuke sputtered. "How do you figure that?! Why don't _you_ be the one to go around asking whether or not someone's seen some pink boxers lying around?"

Naruto smirked. "Because I'm not the one who lost the coin toss. Besides, it's not all fun and games, asking if anyone's seen that Collector's Item Icha Icha Paradise 2nd Edition complete with the author's signature. All the old men start drooling and all the old ladies stare at me," Naruto complained. "Sakura-chan's got it the easiest. Nothing wrong with a girl asking around for a toothbrush. Girls _like_ being clean."

"Shut up, you baka," Sakura said. She sighed. "Alright, now think, you boys. Where would Kakashi-sensei hide his… treasures? Where would he think we would never look?"

"In the sewers?" Naruto suggested.

Sakura shook her head. "Think about it, Naruto. These items are probably Kakashi-sensei's life. He wouldn't put life's treasure in the sewers. It would decrease the value of the items. Where else?"

"The library?" Sasuke muttered.

Sakura considered it. "That might be a good idea. It would be easy to hide the book in there. Let's check it out."

"How come you listen to that Sasuke idiot and not me?" Naruto demanded. "I'm ten times smarter than he'll ever be!"

"Maybe… if Kakashi-sensei hated his pink boxers," Sasuke retorted.

"Now, how do we get to the library?" Sakura asked. "I think I remember one of the alleys from yesterday that is supposed to lead straight to it, down by the fabric store."

"The one next to the gift shop is faster," came a young voice from behind the three.

The genin spun around.

"Takako!"

The eight year old grinned. Behind him were the rest of the young children, once again in his care.

"Ohayo!" they all greeted.

Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto all smiled.

"Ohayo," Sakura said.

"Hey, you guys!" Naruto said loudly.

Sasuke nodded.

"Whatcha doing?" Keiko asked.

The three shinobi glanced at each other.

"We're having a scavenger hunt," Sakura said cleverly.

Taiki nodded knowingly. "Did your Kakashi-sensei tell you to do it?"

"As part of your training to being ninjas?"

"And to help find that bad guy called Kayashima Senri?"

"And the other guy, Umeda Inoue?"

The three genin stared at the younger kids in shock.

"How…?" Sakura breathed.

"Chiyo-chan told us!" Seki said happily.

The genin glanced at each other, exchanging worried looks. _How did someone they had never met known so much about them…?_

Seeing no point in hiding the truth, Sakura slowly nodded. "Yeah… it's part of our training…"

The kids smiled. "Can we help?"

"Yeah, whatcha gotta do?"

"We… have to find a toothbrush, a certain book, and a… pair of pink boxers…"

"Yay!! Scavenger hunt!!"

"To the library!"

"Yay!"

Once again, the three genin found themselves pulled along to their own mission, it having been placed, once again, in the hands of the young children.

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"It's over here," Chiyo said softly. She led Kakashi down a quiet street and, turning a corner, stopped in front an old tea house. Its sign was faded and cracked, barely hanging on to its post.

"Before we go in or do anything further, let me show you a picture of the men we're after," Kakashi said, reaching for his bingo book.

But Chiyo just grinned. "No need, I already got a picture of him," she said. "I went back to Ojii-chan's this morning before I came looking for you. I'm smarter than you think. I came prepared."

Indeed she had. That morning, she had gone to Sugo's to get all the information he had on the two men. Sugo figured she'd been eavesdropping the night before, and told her all he knew. He had more info collected on Kayashima Senri from his previous encounter with the man, but his current collection of information on the other man, Umeda Inoue, was still limited. Then Chiyo had asked for a picture of the two men and Sugo gave her a copy without asking any questions. She had then gone back to her makeshift home and showed the picture of the two men to the other orphans, telling them to keep a look out for the men and to contact her if they caught sight or found information on any of them. She had also told them to try to keep their new shinobi friends away from the bad guys, since, she explained, the three younger shinobi were probably not ready for an encounter if the two bad guys and would probably get hurt. Yes, Chiyo had prepared. Now, she had all the information she could get at the moment and seven pairs of eyes out for the two missing nin from the Grass Country.

Kakashi raised his eyebrows, but didn't say a word.

The two stepped inside.

Inside was as charming as the outside. It was dark, despite the bright morning light outside. A few tables sat around the walls of the small teahouse, a few placed in line around the center of the room. To the side of the room was a small counter which behind it sat the owner of the teahouse. The man was old, but his eyes were still sharp, eyeing his customers and the two new incomers warily. It was a sign of his acknowledgment that at his teahouse, many underworld dealings and dealers came and took place. It was acknowledged, but apparently left unbothered. The old owner made money. He wasn't about to chase off any potential costumers, no matter what their business was.

"You go sit down somewhere," Kakashi said. "I'll talk to the owner."

Chiyo glanced at Kakashi and nodded. Kakashi left her side and walked to the owner of the teahouse.

The twelve year old girl looked around the teahouse. A few other figures sat at some of the tables, some together, others alone, though, as it was still midmorning, the house was un-crowded. Chiyo spotted a few tables that stood out of the way at the back corner of the house. She went to sit at one of the dark, shadowed tables. It would be a good place to observe the few goings on of the teahouse without being obtrusive. She sat down at the seat closest to the wall, almost hiding in the dark shadows. Kakashi glanced at where she sat but turned back to the owner as the old man started talking in a low inaudible voice. Chiyo saw a few of the already present customers casting wary glances at young gray haired man but they turned back to their own business. None looked her way. It seemed, as usual, that she, a ragged looking young girl, was quickly forgotten.

Chiyo sat quietly at her dark table, cross-legged on her short stool, her elbows resting lazily on the table, her cheek on her hand.

She sat there for a long while. It seemed the old man was very talkative, responding to Kakashi's questions with blown out answers. Though that probably wasn't all the man was talking about. By the angry, pouting look on the owner's face, and the tolerating, though almost irritated look on Kakashi's, Chiyo figured the man was probably complaining about the poor condition of his teahouse, the inconsiderate costumers, and the overpricing of the tea leaves he had to order for his business. Kakashi nodded with sympathy but even from where she was sitting, Chiyo could tell he wanted the man to move on. Chiyo smirked. Was it bad of her, for her to feel slightly smug about Kakashi's hardships? Probably as bad of her as it was for her to occasionally steal one of Ojii-chan's socks. He never could pin the sudden disappearances of his foot coverings on her, but Chiyo knew he suspected. She shrugged. She couldn't help it if it amused her to no end when his chickens ran around like mad birds with socks over their heads like burglars. And then to release the crazy poultry in his small housing in the middle of the night… It truly was hilarious to hear the gruff old man yelp like he did…

She was snuffling her laughter when two dark clad men walked into the teahouse. They were average sized, one sporting a short beard and moustache while the other had unevenly cropped black hair. They looked around the teahouse, glancing at the owner who was still talking to Kakashi. Then the one with black hair nudged the other and nodded towards the back tables, where Chiyo sat. The two walked over and sat down at the table next to hers. A young woman came to serve them a bit of tea, ignoring the twelve year old girl completely, but Chiyo figured that was for the best, as it drew less attention to herself.

The two men then leaned forward, trying to keep their conversation to themselves. Chiyo subtly slumped and leaned back a bit to hear them.

"So…" the black haired man said. "Did you hear…?"

"… What?"

"Kayashima Senri is in town."

Chiyo's eyes widened.

"Shh!" the other man hissed. "You shouldn't be talking about it in a place like this! Someone could hear!"

"Who's gonna hear? That girl over there? She's not gonna care enough to hear. Besides, who's she gonna tell? Her momma? She doesn't care enough to tell anyone. We're fine."

The bearded man hesitated. Then he said, "…Yeah, I heard. I actually met with him the other night, when he first got into town. He's got a buddy with him, too, some guy named Umeda. They've been partners for a short while."

"Why'd he come to see you?"

"He wanted a place to stay. I would've had him stay at my inn, but he said he wanted someplace quieter."

"So where'd you send him?"

"I sent him over to live with a friend of mine, Yoichi. He's got a few extra rooms in his apartment."

"And he's ok with that? I mean, does he know he's living with a missing nin? Kayashima may not be an A-rank criminal but he's still got a good name for himself. I'm almost jealous."

"Yeah, Yoichi knows. He's not the happiest about it, but he'll live. Unless, of course, he gets Kayashima angry," the bearded man chuckled humorlessly.

"I hear the two of them's got some Konoha ninja after them."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, but no one knows who it is, what they know, or where they are. Heh, heck, for all we know, that guy talking to the owner of the shop could be one of them shinobi."

Chiyo had to stifle her startled cough of surprise at the irony.

"Heh, yeah right. So, what does Kayashima want? Is he still on the run?"

"Yeah, of course he's still on the run. As to what he wants… well I have no idea. I think he said something about a new set of weapons. Probably just to restock on his supplies, settle for a few days, maybe a week or two, and then hightail it out of here before his tailer get too close."

"Hm… yeah, probably. Hope he doesn't bring too much trouble, though."

"Yeah…"

"Hey, so how is it with your wife?"

"Oh, she's doing alright…"

The conversation had ended. Chiyo straightened up in her seat. She waited for a few minutes, vaguely listening as the conversation behind her turned from the man's wife to the chicken fight last night, then she got up and left the teahouse, passing by Kakashi as she left.

He glanced at her and, finishing up his conversation with the teahouse owner, followed her outside.

"Did you find anything?" Chiyo asked.

Kakashi nodded. He started walking, away from the old teahouse and down the street. "Kayashima's been through here. He was talking to a few dealers about supplies, but the owner doesn't know much else. He comes by a bit, though, so this will be a good place to keep an eye out for him and his partner," he said quietly.

Chiyo nodded. "And I know where's he's staying."

Kakashi raised his eyebrows in surprise. "How?" he asked.

"The two men who sat behind me. They came in a few minutes after I sat down," Chiyo said.

"Oh, them. Who were they?"

"I don't know, they didn't mention each other's names. I did pick up a Yoichi, though."

"Yoichi? I've never heard of him. Who is he?"

"He's supposed to be the guy your guy, Kayashima, is staying with. We can ask Ojii-chan to look up some more on him and find out where he lives."

"Good. Anything else?"

"Kayashima is looking for someone who can supply him. Though I don't know with what. And he's supposed to be around for a couple days, maybe a few weeks."

Kakashi nodded with approval. "That's good to know. That means we should still have a bit more time."

He sighed contently.

"Alright," he said. "I like how this information picking-upping is going. Where to next?"

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"We're here!"

Cheering, the children ran up the steps and disappeared into the fair sized library building.

At a slightly slower pace, the three genin followed them.

With the path Takako led them on, it had only taken ten minutes to get to the library from where they all had been. Now, the group was in front of the library. The three genin were slightly anxious. How, they wondered, were they supposed to ask for the location of where the series of Icha Icha Paradise was shelved? They were already under aged, and now they also had a small crowd of even younger kids with them…

"Naruto," Sakura said suddenly, coming up with the solution. "Henge into an older you."

Naruto stared at her in confusion a bit, until he slowly got it. "Oh, right!"

Grinning broadly, he jumped closer to the wall of the building, hiding in the shadows.

Sakura and Sasuke heard a loud 'poof' and then saw a tall man walk from the shadows where Naruto had disappeared. The man was blond, his hair long enough to be put in a small ponytail at the base of his neck. His eyes were brilliantly blue, a slight shade darker than the younger Naruto's. But the whisker scars, three on each of his cheek, remained, each mark darker and more obvious than before.

Sakura and Sasuke raised their eyebrows. The new image wasn't bad.

"Whoa, did Naruto-kun grow up really super fast?"

The three shinobi turned to see Keiko standing outside of the library doors she had just run into.

"You guys were taking too long, we wondered where you were," she explained when she saw the question in their eyes. "Is that really Naruto-kun?"

The three genin glanced at each other.

Sakura nodded. "Yes, it is. It's a… trick that we can do, since we're ninjas. Though don't tell anyone you don't know. Why don't you run ahead and tell the other kids, so they won't be surprised."

Keiko nodded with an excited smile and rushed back into the building to share the news of Naruto's sudden growth spurt.

The three genin exchanged glances with each other and sighed, though none of them knew whether it was from relief or already existing exhaustion. They straightened up and, after Sakura fussed a bit with Naruto's new shirt, the three walked into the library.

The first thing that stuck them was of how large the library was. It was big, like the one in Konoha, but while that one contained mostly books focused on the shinobi world, this library was more diverse. Throughout the library were shelves and shelves of novels, non-fiction tomes, and thousands of scrolls. Sakura could see a section for children's books peeking from the shelves at the back.

"Hey, Keiko was right! Naruto-kun is a growned up!"

"Whoa, he's taller than before!"

"Yeah, he used to be short!"

"Hey!" Naruto protested, making to stomp towards his offender.

"Knock it off, baka," Sakura said, holding the blond back by the back of his shirt –she couldn't reach high enough to hold him back by the back of his collar. "Come on, the front desk is over there. You go and ask where those perverted books are kept. We'll stay back and wait for you. That old lady might not tell you if we're with you."

Naruto grinned and confidently walked towards the front desk.

"Can we really trust him with that?" Sasuke asked with an apprehensive expression.

Sakura glanced at him. She sighed. "It's not like we can really do anything else. Naruto's better at doing Henges than I am. And unless you'd rather be the one to do it…"

"Hn," Sasuke grunted his refusal and turned his gaze back to the blond boy who was still grinning more than the other two genin were comfortable with.

Naruto confidently walked up to the front desk and grinned at the old lady who sat behind it. She eyed him suspiciously. His grin just widened.

"Hey, Baa-chan," he said loudly. "Where do you keep your Icha Icha Paradise books?"

The old lady scowled at his raised voice, and then blushed slightly at the title of the requested book.

"And why, might I ask, are you searching for such a book?" she asked, not sure whether or not to tell the young man that stood before her. He was tall enough to be in his early twenties, but acted much younger. She had heard vague stories about people, shinobi, who could change their appearance with a spell or jutsu. Could she help but be a little wary of the blond young man in front of her? Besides, who would announce such reading material preferences so openly? And loudly…

Naruto's grin turned sly. He smirked and leaned in, looking at the old lady with his deep blue eyes. "Oh, it's nothing, really… Just want to learn some… tricks. For my girlfriend, you know? I want to give her the time of her life. Or should I say, the _ride_ of her life?"

Who could have known the Kyuubi vessel was so…

The old lady blushed even deeper. She shouldn't have asked. She sniffed indignantly and nodded stiffly. Then she briskly walked out from behind her desk and towards the shelves.

At a distance, Sakura and Sasuke followed discreetly.

After walking down a number of aisles and past a great deal of books and shelves, the lady stopped and gestured further down. "The… novel… is just further down. Follow the aisle and then turn left. It will be on the bookshelves to your right."

Naruto grinned at the lady. "Thanks," he said. "You have no idea what this means to me. Rika-chan will be so amazed. I'll have her so shocked she'll–"

"I'm glad to help," the lady cut off, her lips pressed thin, her blush growing more distinct. "… I suppose you can call me if you need anything else…"

She seemed very reluctant in offering.

Naruto's grin widened. "You bet I will. Maybe you can explain a few things for me," he said casually.

The lady sniffed and briskly walked back to her desk, perhaps in pursuit of an aspirin or two…

After she disappeared, Naruto smirked and, with a 'poof' changed back into his twelve year old self. He started cackling quietly.

"What the heck did you say to the lady, Naruto, you baka?" Sakura demanded as soon as she and Sasuke reached the laughing boy. "That poor old lady looked ready to faint, she was blushing so hard."

"Oh, it's nothing important," Naruto said, still snickering. Sasuke eyed the boy suspiciously, but didn't say anything.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, but she, too, left the subject. "Come on, you boys. She said it would be just around the here."

The three followed her and walked in the directions the woman had given Naruto.

When they turned the corner, however, they were met with shock.

The orphans, who had so suddenly disappeared after Sakura had told Keiko to warn the others in case they saw Naruto's older version, were now in front of them, climbing the sturdy bookshelves to reach the literature above them. Piles of books littered the floor, all of them from the Icha Icha series…

"H-how…?!" Sakura started.

"How the heck did you get here before we did?!" Naruto exclaimed. "And how'd you know which book to look for?!"

"Naruto quiet down, you're going to get us kicked out!" Sakura hissed, smacking the back of his head.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, but the protest was soft as he remembered to keep his voice down.

"We heard which book you wanted," Seki said, absentmindedly flipping through a book. Sakura had the sudden urge to knock the inappropriate reading material out of the seven year old's hands.

"When you were talking about going to the library," Fuka chipped in.

"Sakura-chan…"

Sakura looked down at the young boy tugging on her dress.

Taiki held up one of the books, flipped to a certain page. Three year old Nakao stood behind him, sucking his thumb and gazing at the older girl with a curious expression.

"What's the man doing to the lady?" Taiki asked in his naïve six year old voice.

Sakura took a look at the extremely detailed picture and blushed furiously. She quickly swiped the book out of the young boy's hands (and away from her face).

"Nothing! He's not doing anything to her!" she said quickly. "Hey, kids! Drop those things and get over here."

The orphans gave her a curious look and obeyed. In a flash, they were all standing before her, waiting for her to say something.

Sakura sighed. She turned to her team members. "You boys do what we came here to do. I'm going to take them to the children's books section. This isn't healthy for them." She fixed both of the boys her evil eye. "And be quick about it. I want to get out of here as soon as possible." She turned to the children who watched her with a curious look. "Come on, let's go read some children's books!"

She started leading them away towards the area she had seen earlier.

"Wow, you mean it?"

"Are you really gonna read to us?"

"You know how to read?"

"I've never heard a story from a book before."

"Yeah, even Chiyo-chan doesn't know how to read!"

"Can you teach me? They all look like squiggles…"

"We're gonna hear a story!"

"Yay!!!"

Naruto and Sasuke watched as the children disappeared around a bookshelf. Both had an odd expression on their faces.

"I've… never had a story read to me either…" Naruto said quietly, almost to himself.

Sasuke looked at his teammate in surprise. _Naruto… never had a story read to him…?!_ Sasuke was a bit shocked by the fact. Even he had had someone, usually his mother, before she was killed, read a story to him when he was younger. But then, Sasuke realized, Naruto had been an orphan even before Sasuke's family was killed.

Not knowing what to say, Sasuke kept his mouth shut.

Naruto sighed. He placed his hands at his hips and glared at the shelves in front of him.

Sasuke turned his gaze there as well. He almost anime sweat-dropped. Who knew the library had such a collection of Kakashi's favorite book series. If one could call it a book…

He glanced at Naruto and was almost surprised to see that he was looking back at Sasuke with a sly smirk.

"Whoever looks through the least amount of those perverted things has to buy everyone lunch."

XxX

"…and then the little boy hugged the dog and said, 'you're the best friend I could ever wish for.' And then the dog said–"

"But wait, doggies can't talk!"

"Yeah!"

"Be quiet, just listen to the story!"

"Yeah! And dogs can to talk. One of them talked to me once. He said he wanted to be my friend!"

"Did not! You're just making that up!"

"No I'm not, it's true! Ask Susa!"

"Quiet."

The bickering children turned in surprise to see Takako oddly stern and serious.

"Let Sakura-chan finish the story," he said, turning his gaze back to the pink haired girl.

Sakura smiled at him and turned back to the book.

"And then the dog said, 'woof, woof!' and licked the boy's face. The boys stood up and then started walking back–"

Suddenly two blurs of dark blue and orange ran past her, nearly knocking Sakura off of her seat. She recovered just in time to see the blurs stop, revealing Naruto's triumphant face and Sasuke's irritated look.

"Ha! I beat you back to Sakura-chan! We get to have ramen for lunch!"

"You cheated! You made me waste time fighting those dumb Kage Bunshins!"

"Hey, don't insult my Bunshins! I'm just as dumb as they are!"

"…"

"Wait a minute…"

Sasuke smirked. "You still have to pay for it. For your own sake, I hope you don't eat too much… and don't forget, you said _everyone…_ I'm counting about ten mouths to feed, including yours. Though yours can probably count for at least five… with the way you inhale your ramen…"

Naruto looked startled for a moment. Then he shed a few anime-tears.

"That's not fair!" he moaned.

Sakura sighed. "Well? Did you boys find anything?"

Naruto suddenly stopped his crying, his face turning furious. "No! After flipping through every single page of all those many books, we didn't find a single one that matched Kakashi-sensei's description! We found a ton of Icha Icha paradise 2nd editions, but none of them was a collector's item or had an author signature in it!" he said angrily.

"We even decided to comb through the entire library, thinking maybe Kakashi-sensei didn't hide it in the Icha Icha section. I seriously never want to pick up another Icha Icha book again. I don't want to pick up another book," Sasuke muttered resolutely. He was still blushing after seeing the same (dirty) picture again and again as he flipped through the many Icha Icha books.

"Maybe it's… not in the library then…" Sakura said, frowning. She sighed.

The three genin started heading for the library entrance, Sakura herding the children with her. Though the story hadn't been finished, they didn't mind, knowing the shinobi were in a hurry.

"How are we ever going to find a book, a toothbrush, and a pair of pink boxers in this stupidly huge city if it takes us two hours to search a library? For all we know, Kakashi hid it in the bathroom under the sink of a restaurant! How can we search through the entire place?!" Sakura asked irritatedly.

"We have to go back to the streets, ask around again," Sasuke said. "We should probably try asking if anyone has seen Kakashi-sensei around, see if anyone saw where he went."

"I'm hungry," Naruto said, sadly holding his stomach.

Sakura sighed. She was on a diet again, and hadn't eaten since last night's light dinner. "I am, too," she said. "Let's take a break and get something to eat…"

Sasuke hesitated. He didn't want the training exercise to beat him, didn't want to return back to his sensei that night empty handed. But then his stomach made the decision for him.

Naruto smiled happily. "Looks like we're eating!" he said.

"Hmph," Sasuke said. "You're still paying."

Naruto pouted. "Fine, but it's gonna be ramen."

"Dobe," Sasuke said.

"What?! You take that back!"

"Let's just go already!" Sakura snapped.

"Um…"

The three bickering ninja stopped and turned to look at Takako.

"Uh… Why don't we wait for you guys? We can go look someplace else while you… eat. Just tell us where you need to search. It'll save some time…"

Sakura looked a bit surprised. Then she smiled slowly.

"What are you kids talking about? Don't you… want to have lunch with us?"

The orphans looked at her, surprised. And slightly hopeful.

"But… we don't have no money…" Keiko said.

"Don't you worry about it," Sakura said.

"Yeah, Naruto's paying for everyone," Sasuke said.

"Hey!" Naruto protested.

"But…"

Sakura walked to the children and bent down, looking at all of them at face level. She smiled brightly. "It'll be fine. We're not paying either. Naruto has it all covered. It's not like it's charity or anything. Just having lunch with friends," she said, reassuringly.

The children hesitated, glancing at each other. Then they broke out in huge grins.

"Yay!!" they all cheered, jumping onto Naruto in a large hug.

"Arigato, Naruto-kun!"

Sakura smiled and Sasuke pretended not to as the two of them watched Naruto blush at the gratitude. He looked down at the children hugging him with a slightly tentative smile, his eyes revealing rare fondness.

He sniffed and then mock scowled.

"Oi, get off! You're all suffocating me! You won't be able to eat anything if I'm dead!"

Laughing and cheering, the orphans jumped off of the blond and ran down the street, heading towards the nearest ramen bar.

XxX

'Scarph Chomp Slurp Stuff Glug Gulp'

'Scarph Chomp Slurp Stuff Glug Gulp'

Sakura and Sasuke watched with anime sweat-drops as blond, twelve years old shinobi Naruto and black haired, six years old orphan Taiki faced each other down, each glaring at the other, stuffing their faces with ramen, bowl after bowl, the other orphans cheering on the side lines. The owner and chefs of the ramen bar were watching in amazement and cooking more ramen at record breaking pace.

"That baka does realize he's still paying for all of that, doesn't he?" Sasuke asked Sakura without removing his gaze from the scene in front of him.

The two of them glanced at each other and then sighed. They both took out their wallets in preparation.

Ten minutes later and about a hundred bowls of ramen…

"Ho ho! You kids are incredible! I've never seen anything like it! Come back anytime!" boomed the owner of the ramen bar as he picked up the large stack of bowls, his pockets jingling with the newly made fortune.

"We are never having ramen again," Sasuke said flatly, glaring at the sheepish blond after having to pay a big part of the large bill.

"I swear, Naruto, you _must_ be sick of ramen by now! I could never eat that much ramen in three lifetimes!" Sakura said, both in slight awe and great anger.

"That was amazing!" the rest of the group cheered.

"So many bowls of ramen!"

"You had to go through three pairs of chopsticks!"

"So many bowls of ramen!"

"Naruto-kun, how big is your stomach, exactly…?"

"So many bowls of ramen!"

"And Taiki was so cool!"

"So many bowls of ramen!"

"You kept up with Naruto-kun's every single bite!"

"That was amazing…"

Naruto and Taiki both exchanged proud glances with each other, lapping up the praise and awe.

Grinning proudly at her adopted younger brother, Keiko looked away from the group to watch the street and lead them in the right direction. Though she wasn't the oldest on the group of orphans, she was the second eldest and had been with Chiyo the second longest. Takako was the eldest of the group of orphans that now accompanied the shinobi genin. Though he was old enough for Chiyo to trust him with the responsibility of the well being of the group, he had only joined them a year ago and had the least knowledge of the group. Taiki had been with Chiyo the longest and, aside from her, was the most familiar with the city layout. But, being six years old, he wasn't quite old enough to hold the responsibility. So Keiko, being the second eldest and the second most knowledgeable, filled in as a temporary guide for the shinobi, leading them in their search for Kakashi's toothbrush and book. And his boxers.

The large group was now walking down a main street, one of the large arteries of the city. Civilians crowded road, going in and out of the shops that lined the street, chatting with friends and calling for misbehaving children, shouting fresh fruits and bargains.

It was about seven stores down that she caught sight of them, walking of the side of the street, almost hidden by the shadows of the buildings and all the people between them.

They were only slightly taller than average size, both drabbed in dark clothing. One was in his mid thirties, his shoulder length blond hair framing his cocky green eyes. He wore black pants similar to that of the jounin uniform, but instead of a black shirt and green vest, he wore a loose kimono styled shirt with a simple mesh shirt underneath. His face seemed set in a permanent sneer, though the affect was dulled by the shadows that hid it almost completely as he continued walking in the dark shade of the buildings.

The other was in his mid twenties, with short black hair and equally dark eyes. He also wore the black jounin styled pants, but for a top, he had donned a simple black turtleneck, its long sleeves creeping up onto part of his hands, stopping at the thumb knuckle. His expression was not quite cold, but nearly there. More detached, uncaring. Strapped to his waist was a long katana. Keiko wondered if, but doubted that, it was his only method of combat. He certainly didn't look like any samurai she had ever seen.

There was no mistake; it was the two men from the pictures Chiyo had shown them all this mornings, the pictures of the two missing-nin that Kakashi and his students were after. The blond, older man was Kayashima Senri, while the younger, black haired man was his partner, Umeda Inoue. But Chiyo had warned them all to stay away from the bad men, and keep the three genin away from them, until their sensei was there.

"Alarm clock!" Keiko yelled.

All of the young children were suddenly alert. They caught sight of the missing-nins and immediately remembered Chiyo's instructions to protect the genin. The instructions were never far from mind.

"Hey, look! A dolly!"

All the children ran to a gift shop that was a short distance away, distracting the genin and leading them away from the dangerous men.

As before-planned, Taiki stayed behind and went to Keiko's side.

"You know what to do," she said to the six year old boy. "Find Chiyo and tell her where we saw the bad ninja. She said she'd probably be around the docks by the river. Hurry!"

Taiki nodded determinedly and ran off in the direction of the Misora River.

Keiko watched as the boy, the fastest of the orphan children, disappeared down the street before she rejoined the group by the window of the shop.

While the others were looking at the displays, Sakura turned to Keiko.

"Keiko, why did you yell alarm clock?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you yell alarm clock?"

"Why not?"

"Well, there was no reason for you to do it…"

"Do what?"

"Say alarm clock."

"Alarm clock."

"No, why did you say it earlier?"

"Say what?"

"Alarm clock."

"What about it?"

"Why did you say alarm clock?"

"Because you told me to."

"No, I mean before that."

"Before what?"

"Before I told you to- wait, no I didn't."

"Didn't what?"

"Huh?"

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"Mmmm, this is so delicious," Chiyo groaned between mouthfuls of congee. "Are you sure about treating me to this? I can make that old geezer pay…"

AN: Congee is a sort of rice porridge. It's somewhat watery and can be flavored with all sorts of stuff; pork, beef, chicken, etc…

Kakashi chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Let's just say you owe me."

Chiyo was willing to accept that.

Kakashi watched as the scrawny girl scarphed down the second bowl of the rice porridge. He couldn't help but wonder what her life was really like, all the hardships being a homeless orphan contained. She might have had it a bit better than some; after all, she could always go to Sugo if things got desperate; and she was even capable of obtaining money; through her occasional spying jobs with Sugo and with her talent in… pick-pocketing; but, no doubt, her lifestyle still called for great strength and will, the strength to continue on and do what she could to survive and the will to live.

Setting down the empty bowl, she sighed, satisfied. "Hey, do you mind if I order one to take out? I… can eat it for dinner."

Not to mention the possibility of having multiple mouths to feed and take care of. That put a whole new variable into the equation of life difficulties. Kakashi stared at her for a short while before nodding slowly.

Chiyo grinned and called an order with the chef of the bar.

Five minutes later, the two were walking the streets by the dock again, Chiyo happily hugging the warm container of congee.

Kakashi watched her from the corner of his eye.

_And still be happy enough to smile…_

"Chiyo-chan!"

The two of them stopped and turned around at the call.

Seeing who it was, Chiyo gently, though quickly, set the container to the ground and caught a young black haired boy who came jumping into her arms.

"Taiki! Hiya!" Chiyo greeted, hugging the six year old looking boy and spinning him around on the side of the river.

Kakashi watched this with a slightly surprised expression.

_Could this be one of the mouths…? What is he doing here…?_

"What's up, Taiki?" Chiyo asked, still holding the small boy and sitting him on her hips.

"An alarm clock!" he said, staring earnestly into her eyes.

Chiyo immediately turned alert.

"What happened? Did you see them?" she asked.

"Yup," he said. "They looked just like in the pictures you showed us this morning."

"Where?"

"On one of the main streets, the one with the old lady who screams at everyone at four o'clock, about seven stores down from the ramen bar."

"'Kay, good job. You go back to the others and stay sharp. Me and Kakashi'll go take care of it," Chiyo said. She glanced at the gray haired shinobi. "Why don't you bring everyone back home soon? After we're done, we'll meet you. I'm not sure we're going to be doing more than looking," she glanced at Kakashi who shrugged, finding no reason to object, "so we can plan out what to do next. Take everyone home in about an hour."

"Hai!" Taiki said before running off again, this time back to the other orphans.

"Who… was he?" Kakashi asked.

Chiyo turned around. "Oh, he's… my adopted younger brother," she said with a grin. "Come on, let's go! That street's near the middle of the city, and Taiki's real fast, so… they probably saw them about fifteen minutes ago. If we go fast then we can probably still find them!"

"What are you talking about?" Kakashi asked, still confused.

"Taiki's one of my brothers. This morning, I got a picture of the guys you're after and showed it to all of my… siblings. I told them to be on the look out for them and to keep your students away from trouble. If they caught sight of the shinobi, they were supposed to send Taiki to look for me and tell me," Chiyo explained.

"And… what is this about an alarm clock?"

"Oh, that's just a signal. Sort of a… code word," she said proudly. "I thought of it myself. It's a warning without actually warning others. It's only for those who know what we're talking about, who're sort of in on it."

"And… they saw Kayashima and Umeda around the middle of the city? And that little boy managed to run from there to here in fifteen minutes…?!"

Chiyo grinned. "Don't forget that he had to take time to look for us. Taiki's really fast. He's almost as fast as I am, and that's only because I'm taller than he is. If his legs were as long, he'd probably be just as fast. He used to be scared of everything, so he ran a lot. Now he's not as scared, but he can still run fast as almost anyone."

Kakashi nodded slowly. Then he seemed to realize something. "How do you know my students? Or, rather, how do they know?"

Chiyo raised her eyebrows, amused. "You and your students don't communicate much, do you?"

She left it at that.

Kakashi wondered why the boy had used the ramen bar as a reference point.

XxX

"Alright, this is where they saw your guys," Chiyo said. "The ramen bar is over that way."

Kakashi nodded absentmindedly as he gazed up and down the street.

"What… are you going to do? Do you have a way to track them down?" Chiyo asked.

Kakashi thought for a moment. "Well… this street is pretty crowded, but since they're on the run, Kayashima and Umeda probably won't stay somewhere where they can be easily spotted and identified. They'll have stayed near the side of the building and then have gone into an alley. Thing is… it's a pretty big street. I can't pick up their scent without attracting too much attention…"

Chiyo glanced up at Kakashi. "What do you need?"

He looked at her. "A specific spot would be good. One that isn't walked over too many times. I'd have to sort through a lot of smells, so if there's a spot that isn't 'popular with the people', then I'd have less to sort through and then I can pick up any chakra signatures easier."

Chiyo nodded, then began scanning the sides of the street.

"Do you have an idea as to find the spot…?" Kakashi asked.

Chiyo didn't answer until her eyes landed on her target and she broke into a grin. She reached up and tugged Kakashi's sleeve, urging him to follow her as she walked out onto the street, heading in a particular direction.

"Yeah," she said, answering his question. "Remember what Ojii-chan said? Something like, 'the ones with the best of hearing are usually those with nothing better to do'? Who other than an unemployed, houseless bum has the least to do? Come on, I know this guy. He has a big ear for rumors and a big eye for snooping. It's like a hobby for him. A pass-time."

The two slipped through the crowds to the other side of the street and stopped before an old grubby looking man.

"Hi, Hokuto-san," Chiyo said. "Can you spare a minute?"

"Hmm? Sure, I s'ppose so…" Hokuto said lazily.

"Do you remember seeing two weird lookin' men around here about twenty minutes ago?"

"Hmm…"

"They're probably wearing cloaks. They're ninja."

"Ahh… yes, weird looking couple, you're right, there… walked by about twenty minutes ago…"

"Yeah, do you know where they went, where they walked by?"

"Sure…"

"…"

"Oh, just around that corner over there… they seemed to like the shadows… Don't know why they would… it's a nice day today…"

"Arigato, Hokuto-san."

Chiyo led Kakashi over to the mentioned corner. "Alright, so it's probably right about here," she said. "… What are you going to do?"

Kakashi smiled at the young girl. "Smell them out, of course."

Chiyo anime sweat-dropped. "Can you… smell that well?"

"I'm a ninja, of course I can."

Without further ado, Kakashi, focusing chakra up to his nose, sniffed at edge of the building.

Chiyo watched with skepticism.

A few seconds later…

"Aha! Got it," he said, straightening up.

"You caught their scent?" Chiyo asked, impressed. "How do you know it's their's?"

"I can sense a bit of their chakra signature," Kakashi said. "They went this way," he said, pointing down to the alley that was a short distance from where they stood. "If we hurry, we can probably catch up to them and follow them."

"Great, so let's go," Chiyo said, and she led the way to the gestured alley.

Before she could run down the path, she felt Kakashi's hand on her shoulder, holding her back.

"Aren't you in a hurry?" she asked.

"Yes…" he said. "But we'd move faster if we went at my speed."

"Well, lead the way then."

"… I can go pretty fast."

"I can keep up."

Kakashi grinned. "I doubt that…"

Before Chiyo could protest on behalf of her speed, in a blur, Kakashi grabbed her around the middle, holding her to his side with his arm as one would use their arm to hold a bag with no handles, casually saying, "just go with it" before he took off.

XxX

About five minutes later, Kakashi stopped at the roof of a short building that over looked a street of houses and set Chiyo down. She promptly fell to her bottom, her uneven hair more disheveled than usual.

"Whoa," she croaked, her throat dry as she raised a hand to her head in an attempt to regain her balance and stop the world from waltzing around her eyes.

Kakashi cast her a bemused expression before shushing her and looking intently off the roof.

Finally halting the world from its lazy dance around her head, she got up and walked to the edge of the roof, next to the tall shinobi, and followed his gaze to the window of a medium sized house directly across from the building roof they now occupied.

"Is that…?" she asked, looking at the window across from her.

Kakashi nodded. "It's where the scent stops," he said lazily.

Chiyo glanced at him before turning her gaze back at the window.

Inside, the two could see three figures sitting at a table in what looked like a simple dining room, with a wooden table and chairs. One man, with blond hair –Chiyo recognized him to be Kayashima Senri – was sitting, lounging on a wooden chair, one arm stretched on the table, lazily swirling what looked like tea in a cup. The other, a black haired man – Umeda Inoue – was leaning against a wall of the room, arms crossed, but not in a tense stance. It was more detached and cold than agitated. The third man had brown hair. He was sitting on the chair opposite of Kayashima, hands nervously on his lap. Unlike the first two, the third man – Chiyo figured him to be Yoichi, the host of the house the two criminal ninja were staying in – looked every bit as uneasy as Umeda looked calm.

Chiyo watched as the Kayashima moved his mouth in speech, his lips twisted in a cocky smirk. With a window, a wall, and a street between them, Chiyo had no way of knowing what was being said. Yoichi laughed nervously, bringing his hand up to scratch the back of his head sheepishly. After Yoichi replied, the blond ninja's smirk only twisted further, turning into an ugly sneer. Even from where she stood, Chiyo could see the tenseness in Yoichi's back and shoulders. Considering the circumstances, she supposed she couldn't quite blame the poor man. Kayashima looked like a blond time bomb, ready to go off when one least expected it, or when a misplaced comment was made.

She and Kakashi watched the three men for a while, until the conversation seemed to come to an end and the nervous host hastily excused himself. Umeda and Kayashima spent a couple more minutes conversing before Umeda dismissed himself and left the room.

Kakashi nudged Chiyo's side and said in a low voice. "Let's go. I've found what I needed. I'll come back here later."

"Aren't you going to attack them now?" Chiyo asked.

"No, if I do, my team will kill me for letting them miss all the action," Kakashi chuckled. "No, I'll find out a bit more about them. It's always best to go into battle prepared, after all. I'm only looking for more info on the two missing nins for now."

Chiyo paused, and then nodded. "What do we do now?"

"I want to check in with Sugo-san and see if he has anything for me yet. I'll tell him what we know so far; it might help him with his own investigations. Then I suppose we'll meet with the others… or at least, with the rest of my team. Heh, I'm not quite sure who the rest of the 'others' are… And we'll plan from there."

"So… Ojii-chan's?"

Kakashi nodded and the two set off once again.

XxX

A few moments later, after it was certain the two had gone, a figure stepped from a shadow a few meters. He walked up to where the two had crouched on the building top, peering into the window across the street.

"So," he said, in a coldly amused voice. "Konohagakure has sent the famous Hatake Kakashi of the Sharingan eye after us. This could turn out to be interesting after all…"

Umeda Inoue sneered at the thought of battling against the very well known Leaf shinobi.

With a simple hand sign, he 'poofed' across the street, reappearing in Yoichi's upstairs bathroom. A few minutes later, his Kage Bunshin walked into the bathroom. After the Kage Bunshin disappeared in a cloud of smoke, Umeda glanced outside the window, his eyes half closed in detached boredom.

"I wonder what that beggar girl has to do with anything…" he mused.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

AN: Yeah, I know, this chapter's a bit shorter than the first. It's actually shorter than the usual chapter length, but this was the best place to cut it off. The third chapter's going to be long, so hopefully that will make up for it.

Thank you readers for reading!! Comments and constructive criticism appreciated. Please review!

ToriMiu


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, Kiba would take a bath ;PP

Third chappie up and running XDD I'm soooo sorry for those of you who had to wait forever. I just realized that if I wanted to continue writing those little paragraphs of different types of plants, then I would have to start researching on the many different species and then somehow tie them into Chiyo's perspective of them. Um… I'm making…. _some_ headway…. Heheh…?

Thank you so much, Carly-chan and Draw4life and lovefatedestiny XD you guys rock!

And I want to thank ALL those who are reading XDD I know it's hard to stick with the longer fics, especially when they take _so long to update…._ But I'm doing better than some, right? o.o

Thank you for reading! I know a lot of it is probably not nearly as good a lot of the other stuff you read. I promise to try my best in improving my story and writing ability, 'nice guy pose'. Thanks again for reading! Reviews and constructive criticism is appreciated.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

Part 3

_Darwin Tulips: They just crack me up. I mean, I've seen a few, on the window sides while I'm running by with someone's wallet under my arm, the guy screaming behind me, I'll see one and I'll just laugh. They've got to be the most awkward flowers ever. They've got big cup-shaped heads, full and heavy, on stiff tube like stems that, after a while, begin to bend under the weight of the flower… and it just makes me laugh. It's like seeing a scrawny guy with an overly large head, no offence to anyone with an overly large head. But they're pretty flowers… I think, if flowers had cliques, they'd be in the preppy group, what with their overly bright colors and the way they always hang out with other Darwin tulips. Darwin tulips sort of remind me of Ino and Sakura-chan, really, the way they're so bold and feminine. They're beautiful flowers, they'd make any place look cheerful and bright. Heheh, they still crack me up, though._

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"Ojii-chan!" Chiyo called out, stepping into Sugo's home without ceremony. Kakashi followed lazily behind her.

"Oh, it's you two brats again," the old ex-shinobi grumbled, looking up from his whittling as he sat on a wooden chair by the table. "What do you want? I thought I told you not to bug me until tomorrow."

"You know we can't help it," Chiyo said, teasingly. "Annoying you seems to be the only point of my existence."

Sugo glared at the scrawny girl, who had taken it upon herself to make herself as comfortable as she could on his – initially – made bed.

"I wondered if you found anything yet," Kakashi said, sitting down across from Sugo. "And I wanted to tell you what we found so far. It might help you."

"Bah," Sugo grumbled. "Well, spit it out."

Chiyo grinned. "We found out that they're in town…"

"As have I," Sugo said, slightly defiant.

"And that they're looking for new weapons…"

"I already knew."

"And that they're probably going to stay for a few days, maybe a couple of weeks…"

"Any idiot would figure that out."

"And that they're staying with a man named Yoichi at a small house off of the main streets on the south-east part of town, near the old silk shop that used to sell nice slippers."

"… Nani?!!"

"Ha!"

Sugo scowled. "How the hll did you find that out?!"

Chiyo stuck her tongue out. "I have my ways," she said cheekily.

"Little snot nosed brat," Sugo scowled.

Kakashi chuckled. "And they say one gets wiser with age…"

"What are you implying?" Sugo asked, narrowing his eyes dangerously at the masked man.

"Nothing, nothing," Kakashi said, raising his arms up in mock defense.

Sugo scowled and settled back in his seat. "Well, here's something you don't know. The two missing nins are looking for weapons."

"But we do know that," Chiyo protested. "I just said it!"

"They're looking for a weapons supplier," Sugo said.

"Huh? Why?" Chiyo asked.

"For weapons, you noisy brat," Sugo said.

"No, I know that," she scowled. "But why are they looking for a weapons supplier? Why not just go to a, I don't know, a weapons shop or something?"

"Because they're looking for specific types of weapons," Kakashi answered. "In the Fire country, to make sure certain weapons aren't sold to just anyone, there's a law that prohibits the selling of certain weapons without identification. One cannot buy shinobi weapons without showing identity of being a certified shinobi. That way, licensed ninja can purchase their supplies while missing nins and uncertified shinobi cannot. The law includes other sections pertaining to the advertising of weapons to other fighters, like samurai, but we won't go into that."

"The point is, you can't buy a kunai unless you have identification," Sugo said. "Since Kayashima and Umeda are missing nins, they can't buy from any local weapons store. They have to be discreet and buy from a 'shady supplier'."

"So… what about it?"

"I've put my name on the list, under the alias Shotaro. I pulled a few strings and got myself placed at the top of the list. I'm expecting a visit from them any day now. It'll be soon," Sugo said.

"Already…?!" Kakashi said, impressed. "That was fast. It hasn't even been a full day yet…"

"Heheh," Sugo smirked. "You're getting help from the very best. What do you expect?"

Kakashi smiled. "Nothing less. That's great. Is there anything else?"

At this, Sugo frowned seriously. "Yes, I've found out a bit about Kayashima's new partner, Umeda."

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. Sugo was certainly efficient.

"You have to hear this," Sugo said. "Umeda's a serious shinobi. I'm willing to bet he's stronger than Kayashima. He could be trouble."

Kakashi frowned. "Umeda… Stronger than Kayashima?"

Sugo nodded. "Here's what I've got. Umeda was born in the Grass country. He entered the Chuunin exams at the age of ten and passed. He became a regular jounin when he was 18, but some reckon he could have moved up sooner if he had applied sooner. He's built a fairly impressive reputation, especially after he killed his fellow jounin teammates and left the Grass country. He disappeared for a while and then joined Kayashima about a year ago. The two have been causing problems since. I'd have to guess that Kayashima's done most of the damage with Umeda playing on the sidelines, but I think that's just a cover. It may seem like Kayashima's the 'leader' of the two man team, but Umeda's the one you should look out for. You should be enough to handle each individually, easily. But if they both fight you at the same time, keep your guard up. I would suggest you get them separated. Get rid of Kayashima first, then battle Umeda. If they both attack at the same time, sic your genin on Kayashima and have them stall until you defeat Umeda and move on to Kayashima. I'm more worried about Umeda than Kayashima. I don't know if it's just easier to fight an enemy you know, but…just a heads up."

_Umeda… _Kakashi mused. _I wonder if he was the 'presence' I felt earlier behind us, when we were on the roof…_

(Nothing gets past Kakashi. Honestly, did you think the most amazing person in the world will have missed someone spying on his back? ;P luv Kakashi He's incredible. And he's MINE!)

Kakashi nodded. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

Sugo nodded. "Where are you two off to now?"

"We're gonna go meet with Kakashi-san's students and my other… friends," Chiyo said.

"I'm going to try to set up a preliminary battle," Kakashi said. "Get a feel for Kayashima and Umeda's strength. If things go alright, I won't have to go back for a real match; I can just defeat them there and take them back to Konoha or something."

"Why don't you just kill them," Sugo grumbled. "It's easier. Less trouble."

Kakashi chuckled. "It might come to that, but the Hokage didn't specify. He might want to have a chance to question them."

Sugo grunted. "The Third's still going on strong, then? He's older than I am, he should retire."

"Heheh, if you still had your leg, would you be retired now?" Kakashi chuckled.

Sugo laughed ruefully. "No, I suppose not. If I hadn't lost my leg in the idiotic shinobi war against the idiotic Rock, I'd probably be dead by now, anyway. All the same. I don't suppose being dead's any better or worse than how I am now. And it's not like I'm not someone to be looking out for anymore." He grinned and flexed his arms. "Anyone who likes life should know to keep from crossing me!"

"Ha, what do you think you're talking about, you old geezer?" Chiyo teased, sticking out her tongue. "You're so soft; I once saw you trip over yourself just so you didn't hafta step on a bug and kill it!"

"Bah!" Sugo protested, turning slightly red. "You think that's the reason?! I just didn't want bug intestines all over the bottom of my shoe!"

"Then why'd you name it Bobbii?"

"Wha- I did no such thing!!"

"Liar, liar!"

"You little brat!"

'Crash' (as Sugo threw his wooden cane at the laughing girl, who quickly dodged and let the stick knock over his lamp)

"You're losing your touch Turnip-jiichan! I thought you were an ex-shinobi! One of the best! Your aim is so bad you couldn't hit a pole if you ran into it!"

"I'll skin your 'ss!"

XxX

"Oww…" Chiyo whined as she led Kakashi down an open alley away from Sugo's home, rubbing her backside tenderly. "That stupid geezer…"

"Heheh, you can't say you didn't ask for it…" Kakashi chuckled. "Where are we going to now?"

"Huh?" Chiyo glanced at Kakashi and grinned broadly. "Why, we're going back to my humble housing! It's where I told Taiki to tell the others to meet me in about an hour. Which has been… about an hour." She swung the carry out lunch from earlier back and forth slightly, her expression thoughtful. "I thought, since you know where the enemies' at now, that you'd want to attack them soon. That's what you said to Ojii-chan, right? A preliminary battle or something?"

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. "I'm surprised you caught that. I only mentioned it."

Chiyo grinned teasingly. "Catching things is what I do best! Anyway, we'll be there soon. It's just right around… here!"

She ran around the corner, Kakashi following behind her slowly. When he turned the corner he was faced with a (humble, indeed) makeshift housing, built of discarded tin panes and the occasional and seemingly random placed board of cardboard and sheet of fabric.

"Tada!" Chiyo exclaimed. "Look at it! I built it myself. Isn't it great?"

Kakashi looked at the girl with shining brown eyes.

_Yes… _he thought. _She really is proud of this…_

He shrugged. "I suppose…" he said in a careless manner. He absent-mindedly scratched his chin with a finger. "Do you really expect me to go in it? I don't think I'll fit…"

Chiyo scowled. "Why yes," she said, lowering her voice to crudely imitate Kakashi. "I think it's an absolute piece of art. You should go into building design. This is some real potential. You could make great money doing stuff like this. You wanna rebuild my house?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "I live in an apartment. And even if I did have a house… I wouldn't let you touch it."

Chiyo pouted. "I did what I could!" she said defensively.

Kakashi chuckled lowly and reached out to ruffle her hair. "It's fine. Where do I sit?"

Chiyo grinned. "There's a curb around the back, if you don't mind," she said.

Kakashi shrugged. "Wherever," he said, grinning lazily.

XxX

"Chiyo-chan!"

Five minutes later, Chiyo snapped her head up when she heard her name called.

"They're back," she exclaimed, jumping up from her part-nap/part-just-laying-around and ran around to the front of the makeshift home.

Kakashi got up and followed, as usual, at a slower pace.

He reached the front to see the young scrawny girl bombarded with young children. They all seemed to be happy to see her. She definitely seemed happy to see them. They all seemed to adore her. She most definitely seemed to love them.

Nearby stood his three students, watching the scene unfold with a raised eyebrow. Kakashi moved to stand next to them.

"So this is Chiyo," Sakura said, almost to herself.

"I guess so," Naruto said.

"You three know her?" Kakashi asked.

"Of her," Sakura corrected. "We know the other kids, the younger ones. What about you, sensei?"

"Hmm?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "I know Chiyo. I've been going through the city with her. Found out some stuff about Kayashima and Umeda with her. First time I've seen the kids, though."

"This is our first time seeing Chiyo," Sakura said. She paused for a bit, then said, "I guess… we should have told you about the younger orphans…?"

Kakashi tilted his head thoughtfully. "I wonder if this is what she meant when she said we don't really communicate… I guess she's right," Kakashi said.

Team Seven looked over to the scrawny twelve year old and her fellow orphans, her adopted brothers and sisters.

"We came back like you told Taiki to tell us!" one brown haired girl said.

"And we brought back our ninja friends, just like you told Taiki to tell us!"

"Guess what we've been doing all day!"

"We had a scavenger hunt!"

"We went looking for a toothbrush–"

"–And a book–"

"–And a pair of–"

"Naruto-kun bought us all lunch!"

"We had ramen!"

"Taiki had, like, a million bowls!"

"I was hungry…"

"Yeah, he and Naruto-kun had a huge contest!"

"Of how many bowls they could eat!"

"It was amazing…"

"I was hungry…"

"Is that for us?" one of the young orphans asked, pointing to the carry out congee Chiyo had had for lunch.

"Yeah," she said, hugging Susa affectionately. "It's congee. I had Kakashi-san pay for it."

"Yay!!" the children cheered, and ran to the carry out bag.

Before they could rip it apart Chiyo stood up straight and tall and ordered, "Freeze!"

All the younger orphans froze, not moving another inch, except to turn their heads to her expectantly. Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Head count," Chiyo ordered.

They all stood up straight.

"Takako!"

"Hai!"

"Seki!"

"Hai!"

"Keiko!"

"Hai!

"Taiki!"

"Hai!

"Susa!"

"Hai!"

"Fuka!"

"Hai!"

"Nakao!"

"Hai!"

"Chiyo-chan!" all the kids called out.

"Hai!" she said, grinning. "Great. Now dig in, but don't spill it."

XxX

"Konnichiwa, I'm Chiyo," Chiyo said to the three ninja who were about her age.

"My name's Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm gonna be the next Hokage!" declared Naruto.

"I'm Haruno Sakura."

"… Uchiha Sasuke."

"Kids," Chiyo said to the other orphans, who had just finished the congee, down to the last drop. "This is Kakashi-san. Say Konnichiwa!"

"Konnichiwa!" the kids chorused.

"This is Takako, Seki, Keiko, Taiki, Susa, Fuka, and Nakao."

Kakashi grinned lazily and raised up one hand. "Yo," he said.

"Yo!" the children yelled back, laughing.

"Alright," Chiyo said, getting down to business. "Kakashi-san? What is it, exactly, that you want to do?"

"Kakashi-sensei, what have you found out?" Sakura asked before Kakashi could say.

Kakashi smiled. "Well… We were able to find out, first of all, where Kayashima and Umeda are staying."

"Already?!" Naruto exclaimed. "But- but- we've only been here for, like, a day and a half!!"

"That- that was really fast sensei!" Sakura said.

"Well, what can I say?" Kakashi said with a lazy grin. "I'm very efficient. I'm an elite jounin, after all. What do you expect?"

"Yeah, you had absolutely no help, whatsoever, didn't cha?" Chiyo teased. She knew better. Half the credit belonged to at least Sugo, her, and the other orphans.

Kakashi scowled. "I'm basking in glory here," he mock scolded.

"Heehee, whatever," Chiyo said. "Just hurry up."

"We've found out where they're staying; at the house of a man by the name of Yoichi. We paid the house a secret visit earlier," Kakashi said. _Though I wonder if it was quite as secret as I'd like to believe…I know there was someone behind us. If it was Umeda… _"We've also found out what they're looking for, what their business is in Hidekatsu. They're looking for a weapons supplier. Someone I know has placed himself at the top of the list to supply them with the weapons they want. Under the alias Shotaro. He's going to try to make contact with Kayashima and Umeda. He'll get back to me soon."

"How do you know the source is reliable?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.

"Sugo-san is a former shinobi of Konoha," Kakashi said. "He's retired, but he still keeps connections. I know him personally. We had several missions together before he retired."

_Missions…_ Chiyo glanced at Kakashi. _So Ojii-chan… really was a shinobi… I wonder what sort of work he did…_

"So… if they're looking for a weapons supplier… does that mean they need weapons? Are they… out of them or something?" Sakura asked.

"A shinobi always need to have a weapon handy," Kakashi said. "I'm sure they have plenty of other means to do battle, but they're probably just a bit short on kunai and shuriken. And since those are shinobi weapons, they can't very well walk into a weapons shop, now that you have to show identification before you can purchase a specified weapon."

"So? What are we going to do about it?" Naruto asked loudly.

"I was just about to say," Kakashi said. "We're going to launch a preliminary battle. Sugo's told me that Umeda might be stronger than expected, so I want to test him out. If he's not too much to handle, then I can take him and Kayashima out during the first battle. If something unexpected happens, I can wait until the next time."

"Hey, what about us?!" Naruto demanded. "I wanna kick some 'ss!"

Sasuke 'hmphed' his agreement. He wanted some of the action as well.

Kakashi frowned. "This won't be like any battle you've ever fought in, not even when you three went against me during the bell exercise. You're lives will be on the lines. It won't be like training. This will be a real battle. Any of you three could die."

Chiyo mentally smirked. _Yeah right. Like you'd let any of your students die. That would be too much trouble for you. Too much paperwork or whatever. You're just trying to scare them…and egg them on…_

But, what ever it was that Kakashi seemed to try to do, worked…

"No worries, sensei!" Naruto said confidently. "No lame 'ss excuse of a ninja is ever gonna touch me! I'm invincible!"

"No, you're not, you baka," Sakura said, hitting the blond on his head. "I bet that guy could beat you in a second," she scolded.

"Aww, Sakura-chan! Don't you trust me??"

"No. If any one is going to beat them, it would be Sasuke-kun, of course."

"Yeah right! That idiot can't hit a sitting duck!"

"If I can't hit a sitting duck, then you wouldn't be able to hit the ground you're stepping on. You'd miss it by a mile," Sasuke retorted.

"What?! I can to hit the ground!"

"Prove it."

"I will!"

'Crash'

"Oww, my toe!"

"… Baka…"

"Can we get back on topic?" Kakashi asked exasperatedly. "If you three think you can handle it, you can take on Kayashima while I deal with Umeda."

"Really?! Kayashima?!" Naruto asked. He was under the impression that Kayashima was the leader of the two missing nins and thus the stronger of the two.

"Sure," Kakashi said easily. "After all, I already know I can beat him. I'm just worried about Umeda. You three can take on the loser while I take on the stronger of the two."

The three genin anime sweat-dropped.

"Chiyo," Kakashi turned to the girl who was watching with slight amusement. "I'll need you and the younger orphans to lead Kayashima and Umeda out of the city. I don't want any civilians getting injured. They probably won't try anything that would bring attention to them while they're in the city, so you and the kids should be fairly safe. Once they're out of the city, my team and I will be waiting. You don't have any official shinobi training, but if you could stay near the genin's battle with Kayashima, it would be helpful. If anything goes wrong, I need you to send word to Sugo. He might be able to come and help us, or at least he'll be able to find some other retired shinobi and send help. It would be best if you kids could help Chiyo lead the bad men out of Hidekatsu and then stay in side the walls."

"Aw, but I wanna see the fight!" Takako protested.

"It's too dangerous," Chiyo said. "I need you to stay with the others so you can protect them."

Takako hesitated, tempted by his boyish desire to see the action, but his desire to please the older girl he respected and handle the responsibility of caring and protecting his adopted family outweighed his first.

He sat up straight and nodded. "Hai!" he said.

Chiyo nodded. "Good. Thanks, Takako," she said. Turning back to Kakashi, she said, "So all we have to do is lead them outside the city to you and then while the others stay inside the city, I'll watch and make sure nothing goes wrong and if something does run back to tell Ojii-chan. Right?"

Kakashi chuckled at her recitation but nodded. "Right."

Chiyo grinned "Sounds simple enough. Let's get to it!"

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

The afternoon was bright. The streets were crowded. Markets bustled around Kayashima, giving cover to him and Umeda as the two traveled around, hiding in the shades of the buildings, hugging their walls. So far, well, as far as Kayashima was aware, the shinobi sent from Konoha still hadn't found a lead on them. And, they had found a promising supplier, one at the top of the list of 'good suppliers', someone who went by the name Shotaro. Today was a good day.

At least, it was, until some bratty street kid had the nerve to try to steal his money.

Several, actually.

Kayashima and Umeda were walking down one of the main streets, using the crowd to cover their tracks. They were gathering supplies for the journey, rations and other little trek food. Kayashima supposed someone could call it 'shopping', but only if they wanted a kunai in their throats for the insult. Shinobi like Kayashima simply did not 'shop'. 'Shopping' was for those who could spare time for the leisurely gathering of desired wanton materials. Perhaps a pretty pair of slippers or a nice big fish for dinner. No, what Kayashima –and his partner – was doing was 'gathering supplies.' Supplies that they would depend on for survival. After all, how was one to survive without food during the long trek between villages and towns and cities? This was survival food. Kayashima was especially looking forward to the gathering of nice little seaweed crackers. He really did enjoy those. A yummy, almost sweet cracker taste, followed by the unique aftertaste of seaweed and a twinge of salt. That was what he called survival food. How could one live without them?

He and his partner were about to cross the crowded street when suddenly a young boy about six years old with black hair walked by in front of him and tripped. Reflexively (it truly was a pointless reflex) Kayashima reached out and caught the boy before he face planted on the floor, immediately cursing afterward. He had a good (in a bad way) reputation to keep, appearances to hold up. He was the big bad blond missing nin from the Grass country. Blond murderers simply did not reach out to catch boys that tripped over their own clumsy feet. Blond murderers let the boys fall, laugh loudly (if one laughed loud and evilly enough, there was also the good chance the boy would start crying), and then (though better done when there wasn't a crowd) kick the boy out of the way and continue on. Maybe even stick a kunai in the boy, just to make sure he didn't trip in front of such a high reputed murderer again.

He stopped his stream of profanities when he realized the boy was still in his arms –staring quite rudely- and people were starting to notice the string of curses, casting frowns and disapproving looks in his direction for using such 'vulgar' language with a young boy in his arms. Oh, that's right, he was still holding the clumsy brat. Kayashima immediately snapped his arms back, causing the boy to wobble a bit (was the brat unbalanced or what?) before finding his feet once again.

"I'm sorry," he said in a childlike voice. Kayashima supposed that was to be expected, seeing as the boy really was a child. "I didn't mean to trip! Thanks a lot for catching me!"

"Shut up, brat, and move on," Kayashima growled.

"Of course!" the boy said and made to keep walking when he hesitated. "But… I feel bad of making you hafta catch me! I think I should do something to say thanks! Like I really mean it!"

"Don't think, brat, you're not good at it," Kayashima said, making to continue on. He harshly pushed the street boy to the side, causing the boy to start falling again. Again (curse those reflexes. Was he an evil serial murderer or not?) he reached out and caught the boy by the arm before the clumsy kid could fall.

"Wow, you caught me again!" the boy exclaimed. "Now I really have to do something to say thanks!"

Before Kayashima could growl back, the boy turned to a nearby alley and called, "Hey, you guys, this guy just caught me from tripping twice! We gotta say thanks!"

Surprisingly, a number of heads popped out from the sides and shadows of the alley, all of them young.

"Yay!" they suddenly cheered, and before Kayashima knew it, he was hit with a crowd of annoyingly loud street kids, all hugging various parts of him, hanging off of his arms, legs, and waist. One three year old boy even dared to climb up to his head. The bright eyed boy stared into Kayashima's eyes before (loudly) saying, "Tanks a wot mister!"

Kayashima growled and moved to violently shake the kids off. But before he could move his arms (seriously, were these kids psychic or what?), all the brats jumped off of him and ran back into the alley, the six year old clumsy one yelling his thanks again over his shoulders before disappearing.

Kayashima growled. "I swear, another brat _touch_ me and I'm going to shove a kunai up his–"

"Hey," Umeda suddenly interrupted.

Kayashima's face grew angrier. Where did Umeda get the nerve to interrupt him? "What?" Kayashima snarled.

"…Are you… missing something?" Umeda asked, though the expression on his face said he already knew the answer.

"What are you talking about?" Kayashima was getting irritated.

"… Why don't you check for your wallet…?" Umeda suggested quietly. His eyes were sneering.

Kayashima narrowed his eyes. "Why should I?" he countered.

"Perhaps because of the off chance that one of those street kids successfully _pick pocketed _you…" Umeda said casually.

"You think they could have even the slightly chance of doing that?" Kayashima snarled. "I'm a _shinobi_. Brats who live off of someone else's garbage have no chance!"

"I'm just saying you should check," Umeda shrugged. "It's not like it's my money."

Kayashima narrowed his eyes further. Without saying a word, he reached to his waist where he kept his ninja pouch. Slipping his hand in, he quickly rummaged trough his stuff. A couple kunai; a bingo book; a few scrolls…

No wallet.

Kayashima's eyes bulged.

"I'm gonna murder those insufferable-!"

The chase was on.

Without pause, Kayashima flashed to the alley the children had run into. He snapped his head back and forth, trying to decide which path to take when the alley split into several different back ways behind the tall buildings.

Suddenly, he heard a dull thump on the dirt ground and a muffled "Oof!"

In a flash, he located the sound and the boy who made it.

It was the same boy who had tripped earlier (was his clumsiness inherent?), half lying on the ground several meters away down the alley. The black haired six year old snapped his head up to see the two shinobi and quickly scrambled back to his feet. Faster than one could have expected, he ran down the alley and disappeared around the corner.

With a growl, Kayashima raced after the boy. He was confident. After all, he was a shinobi. The boy was a street brat. There was no contest.

When Kayashima rounded the corner, the boy had gone. He just caught sight of a disappearing dirty shoe before it ran behind another corner. He dashed to the corner to see a girl little older than the boy before, running down the alley with his wallet clutched in her hands. Kayashima dashed after her. Using his ninja honed speed, he caught up to her with little trouble. But before he could snatch her by her hair, the girl suddenly turned down a hidden path and slipped from his reach.

Muttering ever more profanities, Kayashima turned and continued after her.

This was not a good day.

XxX

Takako watched from the roof of a restaurant as his brothers and sisters ran from the blond bad guy, baiting him with his wallet. The black haired one followed as well, a small distance behind the blond. Takako had just finished his turn after Seki and now, Fuka had taken over. Making sure the shinobi really didn't have a chance to catch the brown haired girl, Takako raced down the stairs and ran to the nearby wall of the city. Finding a familiar hole in the wall, he crawled through to see the world outside of Hidekatsu.

A pair of ninja sandals came into his line of vision.

"Are they on their way?"

Takako looked up to see the ever cool Sasuke looking down at him, waiting for an answer. His hand was outstretched, offered to the boy to help him stand up from crawling in the hole.

Takako took the hand and hoisted himself up. "Yes sir!" he said, his eyes bright with excitement.

"Great. Good job," came a voice behind Sasuke.

The other ninjas and Chiyo walked up to the eight year old boy.

"It'll be soon, then," Kakashi said.

Chiyo went to Takako and hugged him tightly. The boy smiled, pleased, and snuggled against his source of admiration.

"Are you sure the others are ok?" she asked, letting go of Takako and holding him at arms length.

"Absolutely," he said. "Fuka's running now. Nakao's gonna be the one to hand it to you."

Chiyo nodded. "You go back and gather them together. Make sure to take care of them. Don't let anything happen to them, 'kay?" Takako nodded, determined. She turned to the shinobi. "I'm going to go meet him now," she said. "It won't take long."

Kakashi nodded and the orphaned girl disappeared, running towards the arranged meeting spot.

"Hey, is Chiyo-chan already gone?"

Team seven and Takako turned to see the group of children, missing the two who were currently running or on the ready line to run, running to the group.

Fuka and Susa ran to Sakura and hugged her.

"Will you guys be okay?" Fuka asked, hugging Sakura's leg as Sakura picked up the five-year old Susa.

"Yeah, will you?" the shy five year old asked. "The blond guy looked really mad…"

Sakura smiled reassuringly. "Don't you worry," she said, tweaking Fuka's four year old nose. "We've got it all under control."

"Yeah!" Naruto said. "You haven't seen just how strong we are! We'll kick those sorry excuses of shinobi's sorry a-"

"Naruto!"

"Ee, sorry, Sakura-chan," Naruto said.

"Hey, hey, Naruto-kun!" Fuka let go of Sakura's leg and ran up to Naruto, holding up a plucked daisy to his face. "It's for you!" she said, her eyes shining brightly. "Maybe it'll protect you! Chiyo-chan always liked flowers!"

"I don't need it! I'm invincible!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Take it, you baka," Sakura said.

Naruto took the flower from the girl and stared at it, frowning at the yellow daisy, wondering if it was alright with his male ego to accept a flower from a girl. Then his face brightened into a large grin. "I know! It'll be my lucky charm!" he declared, stuffing the flower roughly into his pocket. Sakura rolled her eyes. Fuka couldn't be more happy.

"Yay!" she cheered, and jumped to Naruto's waist, hugging it fiercely. Naruto blushed, but Kakashi caught sight of the soft expression that came from the boy who was ostracized from the villagers at home, deprived of true family affection and hungry for acceptance.

Naruto allowed the soft expression a while longer before he put on a mock scowl. "Oi, I've got a battle to fight! I don't need mushy stuff! I've got my good luck charm!"

Smiling largely, the four year old let go of the blond genin.

Seki went to Kakashi and stared at him for a short while.

"Can I see your face?" she asked directly. There was no beating around the bush for her.

Kakashi chuckled. "No," he said. The girl pouted.

Taiki ran up and jumped onto Kakashi's back. The jounin stood tolerantly as the six year old climbed up and sat himself on his shoulders.

"Wow…" he said. "I've never been on anyone's shoulders before…"

The other children immediately left the genin and crowded around the gray-haired man, raising their arms, begging for a ride, asking Taiki what it was like.

Kakashi chuckled apologetically and reached up to pluck the six year old from his shoulders.

"Sorry kids, but we've got to go meet Chiyo and the other shinobi. We'll be back soon enough," Kakashi said. He gently set Taiki on the ground and ruffled a few of the kids' hair. He turned to his genin team. "Let's go."

Nodding, the three genin went to Kakashi's side and started to set out to the battle area, a small clearing in a small bit of woodland near the city.

Before Sasuke got very far, though, he felt a tugging at his blue shirt. Stopping, he turned to see the eight year old holding on to the shirt. His gaze was down, as though he was embarrassed or ashamed, and seemed to be battling with himself. Then the boy raised his head and looked at Sasuke with wide determined eyes.

"Sasuke…san…" Takako started. "After your done beating the bad guys butt…"

He broke off and then quickly blurted, "Can you teach me to be strong like you? Can you teach me how to fight? I know you won't be staying here much longer, but could you teach me anyway? I wanna learn how to fight! I wanna… be able to help my brothers and sisters… like Chiyo-chan tells me to…"

The boy dropped his gaze again, staring at the ground.

Sasuke stared at the eight year old boy. He felt a slight blush coming on, embarrassed, but nonetheless very pleased, by the boy's request. Sasuke suddenly remembered the incident that had happened the day before, how Takako had tried to fend off the large offender back in the red district, how he had been easily tossed aside, and how the boy had seemed unusually quiet after the incident. Sasuke understood now.

Sasuke turned his gaze away from the boy in front of him, blushing a bit more. "I… guess so," he muttered, embarrassed and not quite sure how to handle the situation.

Takako snapped his gaze up and stared at Sasuke with bright eyes. "Really?? You mean it?? Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to bug you…"

"It's fine," Sasuke said.

Suddenly Takako threw his arms around Sasuke. "Thank you!"

_Honestly, what is it with these kids and hugging?!_ Sasuke thought to himself, though he couldn't deny the tiny bubble of happiness that had before been destroyed by the murder of his family.

He 'hmphed' but ruffled the boy's hair as he pulled away.

Kakashi smiled, musing at how an eight year old orphan could have such an affect on the usually cool and aloof Uchiha genin.

XxX

Chiyo took the stolen wallet from the three year old and ruffled his hair.

"You go back to the others, now," she said to Nakao. "This will be over soon enough."

Nakao nodded and, after giving her a hug, disappeared back into the city.

Chiyo stood there, waiting for Kayashima to catch up. She didn't have to wait long.

As soon as Kayashima came into view, Chiyo broke into a run, using her chakra as Sugo had taught to build her speed.

She didn't dare look back, running as though her life was on the line. She knew it was. She didn't even try to fool herself that she was faster than the shinobi. She knew she wasn't. She knew that the only reason he hadn't killed her now was because she knew the best routes and kept turning corners fast enough to make him unable to draw a weapon, aim, and stick a kunai in her neck. She anime sweat-dropped as she picked up her speed, motivated by that vivid imagination.

XxX

Umeda sighed of impatience as he followed closely behind his 'partner'. He began to regret telling the blond about losing his wallet. But then, he considered, he would have had it even more bad, having to listen as Kayashima complained, whined, growled, and tantrumed about it until he found the thief and consequently slit his throat. Kid or not.

Actually, Umeda found this little chase a bit off. If he stopped to reason, he would have found it odd that street children had been able to evade them for this long. He would have also wondered if this was actually planned ahead of time, the children ahead passing off the wallet with ease and expectancy from one to the next like a practiced relay. He might even have suspected that he and his 'partner' were being purposely led in a certain direction.

As it was, he slowly noticed that the tall city walls were gradually getting bigger as the chase brought them closer and closer to the side of the city. And, as he stared at the back of the latest runner, a girl that was significantly older than all the children who had run before, with uneven black hair that reached her shoulder, he couldn't help but feel he had seen her before, somewhere some time ago. He frowned at her back, trying to place her.

A few minutes later, they were running along side the tall city walls, closing in on the girl ahead. Suddenly, she disappeared. Umeda and Kayashima ran up to where she had suddenly gone from their line of vision and found a hole just big enough to allow a twelve year old to run crouched through. Casting a glance at Kayashima, Umeda already knew that the blond wouldn't let the girl slip from his grasp.

Without wasting another moment, Kayashima reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out an explosive tag. He tossed the explosive tag into the hole and waited. A second later, as the smoke cleared from the blast, the two men ran into the hole that now allowed them to run upright. Umeda slightly scowled at Kayashima's line of action. No doubt, many will have heard the blast and later find the hole that was newly remodeled. That would cause suspicion and more people on their trail, trying to find the culprits of the blast and bring them to 'justice'. Umeda doubted anyone they sent would get close; they had managed to evade the Konoha nins thus far. Though he did wonder how long that would last, seeing as the famous Copy-cat nin was after them. Not that he was too worried.

The two men emerged from the hole into the world outside of the crowded city. The scenery was slightly surprising; one minute, the two were running through the back alley ways of one of the most throbbing cities, the next, they were chasing their quarry through the woods that bordered the outside walls of the city, shadowed and unpopulated.

By now, the girl had started to slow down. She had been running for far longer and much faster than the children before her. Even from where he was running, he could hear her panting breath. He vaguely wondered where she was running so desperately to, whether she had a special hidey hole somewhere. Perhaps the children hadn't expected their last pick-pocketing victim to follow them so far, for so long, so determinedly. Actually, he wondered why Kayashima was still chasing after his wallet. He knew that the blond had no real significant amount of money in it. Probably, he figured, the blond was just looking for some blood to spill.

Finally, the tiring girl tripped over a rogue tree root and stumbled. She recovered but Kayashima was already there, making a short burst of speed and grabbing the girl by her neck. He lifted the girl by her neck, tightening his grip and his arm went up. The girl's dark brown eyes widened slightly in wariness and fear. She grasped Kayashima's wrist with her two hands, wallet dropped and forgotten on the ground, and tried to pull Kayashima's iron grip from her neck. Umeda could hear her breath become more choked as she tried to gasp for air that was blocked from her lungs. She weakly struggled, feebly trying to kick Kayashima, her eyes now squinted in pain.

Kayashima, on the other hand, was enjoying this immensely. His face was twisted into an ugly sneer, his eyes sparking with maniac, sadistic glee.

"Didn't you know, girl?" he growled. "Pick-pocketing is _bad_! You ought to be punished for that!"

The girl only wheezed in reply. Umeda frowned at the girl. Now that she was close up, he could swear that he had seen her from somewhere. Her black uneven hair… her scrawny body frame… her brown eyes…

Then it clicked.

"Kayashima, get down!" Umeda shouted as he fell to the ground.

"Wha-!"

Kayashima fell to the ground when Umeda grabbed his ankle and pulled him down just in time to miss the sudden cluster of flying kunai and shuriken. The girl took that chance and off ran to the side.

"What's going on?!" Kayashima demanded.

"It's an ambush," Umeda said coolly. "The kids were sent to bait us into following them here. That girl is working with the Konohans. They're probably the ones who threw the attack. Hatake Kakashi is here."

Kayashima tensed visibly and quickly looked around.

"That's pretty good," came a voice from around the trees' branches. "I'll assume that was you who were watching behind us when we found out where you were staying…"

Umeda smirked, standing up and turning around to see Kakashi standing on a large branch and leaning casually against the trunk of a tree.

"That's right," he said sneered. "You knew?"

Kakashi smiled coolly. "I know a lot of things…"

"Heh, so you finally caught up?" Kayashima asked, standing up and getting into a loose fighting stance. "That's not so good for you, really. You can't take us on by yourself. Today's going to be your last day, Copy-cat nin Kakashi."

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. "Is it now? And I was so hoping to finish the new volume of Icha Icha…"

"Took you a while, you lazy b'stard," the girl reappeared under the tree Kakashi was on, rubbing her neck and glaring at the gray-haired shinobi.

XxX

Chiyo's neck was sore. It hurt a lot. And she was mad.

"You couldn't get here earlier?!" she scowled at Kakashi. "He nearly got me!"

Kakashi chuckled. "Gomen, gomen. The others were talking to your friends."

"Liar. You were probably just reading your book and waiting for a good place to stop before you decided to jump in," Chiyo retorted. She looked at the two shinobi in front. "Where are they?"

"Oh, you know, just waiting to make an entrance…"

"There's more than you?" Kayashima demanded.

"Well…" Kakashi said. "I suppose you could say that. They're really not much…"

Suddenly Kakashi whipped his arm out and caught a kunai that had been sent flying his way.

"We heard that!" Naruto's voice came. He and the other two genin appeared on the opposite side of the missing nin. Naruto was smirking confidently. Sakura had a determined look on her face. Sasuke was looking cool and aloof as ever.

"Prepare to get your 'sses whupped!" Naruto said. Sasuke smirked behind him.

"Pfft!"

The Konoha shinobi looked at Kayashima. He was snorting with mocking laughter. "Are you serious? You going to sic those little brats on us? What are they going to do? Annoy us to death?" he sneered. "If you value the lives of your next generation… you'll run away with your tails between your legs."

Kakashi shrugged. "I haven't got a tail, so I wouldn't be able to do that anyway. Besides…" he crouched on his branch, pulling out a few kunai "I can't let people like you run loose in the Fire Country. It would spoil my reputation. I've worked real hard to get it up to where it is."

Kayashima and Umeda tensed, pulling out their own kunai.

"Too bad it won't get any higher!" Kayashima sneered, and he let loose his handful of kunai, aimed at the genin. Umeda shot his at Kakashi.

Kakashi and his team jumped to the side, dodging the sharp missiles and landing near Chiyo.

"Chiyo, you make sure to stay out of the way," Kakashi said. "These are real shinobi. They won't hesitate to kill you. Let me and my team handle this, shinobi to shinobi."

"Don't worry," Chiyo scowled. "I'm not planning on jumping in anytime soon. Just watch your back!"

She suddenly shoved Naruto to the ground. Kakashi grabbed her by her waist and Sasuke and Sakura jumped away to dodge another cluster of kunai and shuriken sent their way.

"Give me a warning before you do that!" Chiyo complained as Kakashi dumped her unceremoniously on the ground behind a nearby tree.

"Stay behind the trees," he ordered and jumped back into the battle.

"Thanks, Chiyo! I owe you one!" Naruto shouted as he and his teammates also jumped in.

"You bet you do," Chiyo muttered, but she sobered quickly, watching the battle intensely, ready to run for Sugo if things started to look bad.

Naruto (as usual) attacked first, summoning ten clones and all at once jumping onto Kayashima. Kakashi threw another kunai at Umeda, trying to separate him from his partner. Umeda jumped to the side, away from Kayashima, but he didn't go far, keeping within reach of the blond missing nin.

Naruto's clones gave a shout of surprise as they were suddenly thrown off the missing nin when he was able to bring his hands together and form a hand sign, summoning a thick bushel of razor sharp grass to suddenly sprout in front of him, acting as a green wall. Naruto's clones disappeared in a small poof, leaving the real Naruto sitting on the ground, rubbing the new scratches the sharp grass had given him.

"Like it?" Kayashima mocked. "I call the injuries it gives _grass-cuts!_"

Chiyo –and very many of the people on the battle field– anime sweat dropped.

"That's lame!" Naruto shouted. He jumped back up, pointing his finger at the other blond. "A six year old can come up with something better than that!"

Kayashima scowled. "You smart-mouthed brat!"

He made a hand sign and sent his bushel of razor sharp grass at the genin, aiming to stab through them. He did so love the color of red blood on his green grass. It reminded him of Christmas.

"Whoa!" Naruto shouted as he and his comrades jumped out of the way. Sasuke reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out a hand full of shuriken. He sent them spinning towards Kayashima before jumping again to the side to dodge another group of pointy grass.

Kayashima's grass blocked most of the shuriken, his kunai knocking the rest aside.

"Do you honestly think you have a chance at beating me?!" Kayashima asked. "I'll have to teach you a lesson for having such a big head!"

"Speak for yourself!" Naruto yelled as Sakura threw a group of kunai at the blond while Sasuke let loose his clan's famous fireball jutsu.

Kayashima dodged both attacks, jumping from Sasuke and knocking away Sakura's kunai with his. Then he disappeared, using his ninja honed speed to suddenly reappear in front of Naruto. Before Naruto was able to react, Kayashima punched him ruthlessly in the gut, knocking the breath out of the younger blond. The punch sent Naruto flying into a nearby tree. Sasuke tensed and jumped at Kayashima.

The two began to spar.

Kakashi glanced over at his students from a short distance away. He grimaced when Kayashima landed a strong hit on Naruto, sending the Kyuubi holder crashing into the nearby trees. He sighed, then refocused on the man in front of him.

Umeda was sneering coldly.

"Watching your students get killed?" he asked mockingly. "I wouldn't worry too much about them. Their fate is inevitable. They're going to die. I would worry more about you at the moment. Maybe you'll be able to live a bit longer than them. But you'll die eventually as well."

Kakashi looked at Umeda with a bored look. He shrugged. "Of course I will. Everyone dies eventually," he said. He took out a few kunai and eased into a loose fighting stance. "Of course, there's no way it will be by your hands, though. What would that say about me? I happen to have a fairly good reputation to keep. Well, I suppose I have two, but let's forget my more mature one for the moment and focus on the one that talks of my incredible skill and genius talent, shall we?"

_Cocky b'stard, _Chiyo thought to herself with an anime sweat-drop. _I'd like to see him get his butt kicked one of these days. Mature reputation… He has a perverted reputation…?! He's not even ashamed of it…_

Umeda got a distasteful look to his face. "Don't speak of your 'incredible skill and genius talent' until you've beaten me," he said. "Not that that will happen. It would be more likely that Kayashima is beaten by your little brats. There's no possibility."

Kakashi smiled vaguely. "Perhaps…" was all he said. Then he used his kunai to block a flung shuriken.

The two men jumped towards each other, throwing hits and kicks. Both were able to block all the attacks, but Chiyo wondered if this was a real all out fight or if the two were merely testing the other's strength. She hoped Kakashi didn't fail, but it didn't seem likely he would. In fact, though it was a bit more serious, he had still kept his expression at a level of boredom. She wondered how seriously he was taking this. Then again, Umeda didn't seem too concerned either. She wondered if they both knew this was just a sort of preliminary battle. She wasn't quite sure how it was ninjas worked. Or, she also wondered, was it because they were both men with insufferably large egos?

Men.

After a few exchanged blows (though none of them hit) the two shinobi jumped back from each other. Umeda immediately brought his hands together and went through a sequence of hand signs. Finishing quickly, his arms suddenly began to glow green. No, they didn't glow green. They _were _green. The light green darkened as thorns began to appear tearing his sleeve. His fingers melded into a singly, large point. Chiyo decided it looked very sharp.

"I wouldn't normally bring out this jutsu so quickly, but I'm in need of a new katana," Umeda explained, mockingly casual. "I see I'll have to visit my supplier fairly soon. Not that you'll be around to see me use one."

"I suppose that should make me glad," Kakashi said lazily. "If your sword fighting skills are anything like your taijutsu, I'd be more worried if you weren't aiming for me…"

Umeda growled and jumped towards Kakashi.

But the Leaf jounin was faster. His hands blurred as he went through a series of hand signs. Before Umeda reached him, Kakashi finished, slammed his hand into the ground, and pulled up a wall of dirt.

_Ojii-chan's dirt wall!_ Chiyo grinned with recognition.

Umeda's arm slammed into the dirt wall. The wall resisted him for a moment, and then collapsed, washing over him like a flood of earth. He quickly leaped through the wave, onto the other side and turned to confront Kakashi.

Though, it seemed the leaf shinobi had disappeared.

Warily, Umeda looked around him, even above, to see where Kakashi had gone. Nothing. Both the missing nin and Chiyo tensed in anticipation. Chiyo watched the battle with a new intensity, now that Kakashi had so suddenly disappeared.

_Where'd that pervert go? He… better not be reading… no way, he wouldn't, not in the middle of a battle. Right? That lazy pervert. _

Umeda stood still, using all his senses to try to find Kakashi. Everything seemed quiet for a moment. Then Umeda's eyes suddenly widened in shock and he jumped into the air.

Or at least he tried to. Before his feet left the ground, a hand shot up and grabbed Umeda's ankle, anchoring him down. Chiyo, not realizing it was Kakashi's, let out something that was between squeal and a yelp, tensing on her feet, ready to run before more of the 'undead' suddenly became more active. Ojii-chan certainly did not tell her about this.

The hand pulled Umeda down, trapping him into the ground. Kakashi popped up a small distance away.

"That wasn't so hard," he said, dusting the dirt off his hands.

"It wouldn't be, considering that's a Bunshin," came a voice behind him.

Chiyo gasped, realizing she had not even seen a second Umeda appear on the scene.

Before Kakashi could react, Umeda shoved a kunai into his neck from behind, pushing it so that the point pierced through the front.

Chiyo stared wide-eyed as 'Kakashi' poofed and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Only if you're considering, though," Kakashi said, suddenly appearing behind him with a kunai at the missing nin's throat. "That was a Bunshin, too… though, I guess you've already figured it."

"What clued you in?" Umeda asked as he knocked the arm holding the kunai away, ducking under it, and tried to kick Kakashi in the stomach. Kakashi blocked it with his other arm and the two jumped away again. This time, though, Umeda doubled back, running at Kakashi with his green blade arm leading the way.

Kakashi knocked the stab aside with his kunai and managed to use the momentum to kick Umeda on the side. The missing nin slid back a distance and barely managed to block another onslaught of blows. Finally managing to regain his balance, Umeda blocked Kakashi's attacks, dishing out a few of his own, some that actually managed to hit the jounin.

Again, after a few more blows, the two ninjas jumped apart, their hands blurring as they began another jutsu.

Sasuke crashed into the nearby trees, almost sighing with exasperation when, as he was flying, he heard Sakura's predictable 'Sasuke-kun!' cry. When would that girl learn to stop obsessing about his 'wellbeing' like that? What was she, his over protective mother? Sasuke scowled as he sat up. He could take care of himself. He'd been doing that all while she was sitting with her family, worrying about her weight. She should be more worried about her hair color, if Sasuke had to say anything. _Pink???_ Was it from her mother or her father?

It had to be from the mother's side. He couldn't picture any respectable man with pink hair. He shuddered as an unwelcomed image of Itachi with pink hair randomly popped into his mind. It had to be from her mother's side.

Just in case, though, Sasuke made a note never to ask.

The Uchiha shook his head, scowling at himself. What in the world was he doing, thinking about the absurdity of his teammate's hair color when there was a fight going on?! Uchihas don't do that. Mentally scolding himself, he picked himself up and leaped back into the battle.

Naruto had summoned another crowd of Kage Bunshins and they were all lining up and poofing out of existence (seriously, did the blond ever learn? Was it because he was blond? Why couldn't everyone just have black hair? It was a sensible hair color. What was his problem with hair color today?).

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke was jolted out of his random thoughts when he heard Naruto's uniquely loud voice calling.

"You any good with these?"

Sasuke looked up in time to catch a large shuriken tossed at him. He caught it and shifted it to a more appropriate position.

"I'm good with anything," he said coolly. He quickly ran around the missing nin, trying to find a better location around the trees and branches.

As he ran past his female teammate, he hissed, "Set some traps."

Surprised, Sakura nodded and immediately disappeared.

Kayashima didn't notice. He had already marked the girl as insignificant and unthreatening. He was more worried about the boys. Especially the black haired one. That fireball jutsu he had used was not genin level. He'd have to keep an eye on the brat for any more tricks.

The blond was also a non-substantial threat. His attacks consisted mainly of Kage Bunshins and taijutsu attacks. Easily taken care of.

Kayashima eyed the black haired boy, who was now holding a large shuriken. He tensed, but, of course, he wasn't too worried. Those attacks didn't work on him, after all; he was simply too skilled for them to be effective.

Sasuke smirked confidently, pulled the shuriken back, and then let it fly. The large spinning ninja star made a beeline for Kayashima, its aim perfect and in control.

Before the shuriken hit Kayashima, though, the missing nin ducked, the shuriken missing him, flying obviously over his head by more than a few inches. He smirked when he felt the disturbed air above his head.

He looked up just in time to see the second shuriken whizzing towards him, barely managing to bring his arm up in time to save his head from being sliced in half.

The shuriken cut deeply into his arm, making Kayashima hiss in pain. Dodging quite belatedly, Kayashima leapt to the side, harshly pulling out the shuriken and angrily throwing it back towards the black haired boy.

"Now!" Sasuke shouted as he dodged the badly thrown weapon. The shuriken crashed harmlessly into the trees behind him.

He watched with satisfaction as their opponent's head shot up in surprise as a barrage of kunai and regular sized shuriken flew through the air out of nowhere, aiming straight at the blond missing nin.

Kayashima jumped to the side just to see another barrage of weapons sailing his way. This time, he was barely able to jump away, a few kunai managing to stab him in the arm and leg.

"Naruto!" Sasuke cued.

"Gotcha!" Naruto smirked and summoned up ten Kage Bunshins, each holding his own kunai.

"Attack!" they all yelled, and jumped the blond Grass nin.

Kayashima knocked a few of them out of existence and dodged the rest, jumping to the other side.

Right into Sasuke's fireball jutsu.

The two boys smirked victoriously as they watched the missing nin burn up.

"Yeah!" Naruto exclaimed. "That's team work, baby!"

"You would think so," came a voice behind him.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried as she came running back to the battle scene.

But Naruto was already flying across the small clearing, kicked solidly from behind. The blond crashed into a thick tree with a resounding thud and sank to the ground, holding his chest and coughing up blood.

"No way," he choked out. "How…!"

The three genin looked back to the flames as Sasuke ended the jutsu. Burnt, crisp pieces of grass fluttered to the scorched ground.

"It's called…" Kayashima started to say. Then he disappeared, reappearing in a flash behind Sasuke. "Grass Bunshin: Grass nin style."

Kayashima cackled as Sasuke's body crashed (once again) into the nearby trees, joining Naruto's side.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried. "N-Naruto!"

Kayashima sneered at her. "What's wrong, girly? Feeling lonely? Then why don't you join them?!"

Sakura gasped, tensing as the blond missing nin charged at her.

Suddenly, before he could reach the pink haired girl, Kayashima saw something from the corner of his eye, washing up behind him.

"Sh't!!" he exclaimed, jumping away from Sakura and landing a few meters away.

He immediately began sucking in his breath, holding it.

_What…_Chiyo thought, tensed and wary, _…is that…?!_

A fog of dull yellow… something… now colored the air around everyone. A dull, lusty shimmer surrounded the area.

Sasuke glared suspiciously at the air in front of his face as he sat against the tree he had crashed into, he and Naruto having not yet gotten up. Naruto looked as confused as ever. It was a wonder that the hyperactive blond hadn't yet jumped up and demanded the identity of the substance that colored the air. It looked strangely like…

… _pollen… or… some kind of spore… _Kakashi frowned. He stood still, eyeing the dusty yellow substance. Then he turned his gaze back to Umeda.

The black haired Grass nin had now straightened out of his battle stance, a relaxed smirk playing his lips.

He turned to Kayashima, who had stalked angrily to his 'partner.'

"Warn me when you do that, d'mmit!" Kayashima growled.

Kakashi noticed the blond missing nin didn't retake his breath.

"Tap me!" Kayashima demanded, still not breathing in the air.

Umeda narrowed his eyes in annoyance, but he reached up and tapped a certain point at the front of Kayashima's throat, a small flash of chakra emitting from the tapped point.

At that, Kayashima took a deep breath, scowling.

"It took you long enough," he snarled. Umeda looked as unfazed as ever.

Kakashi frowned. He was filling with a sense of ominous dread. What was so wrong with the air (that he was currently breathing in) that the blond grass nin had held his breath to keep from inhaling? Kakashi felt a sense of trepidation as he wondered exactly what the effects of the yellow cloud had…

Kakashi turned his head to look at his genin.

Or at least he tried to.

Kakashi's eyes widened with realization. The pollen… It had paralyzed his muscles…!

So that's what it does…

_Sh't…_ he thought. If he hadn't escaped the paralyzing, then his students…

_I… can't move…_ Sasuke realized, his body tense in foreboding dread. From the corner of his eye, he saw Naruto and Sakura. Neither had moved either, though Naruto's right index finger was twitching. _And… neither can they… This is bad…_

"Heheh," Kayashima sneered. "Looks like the little Konohans are a little… stuck. We can easily pick them off, one by one, right now. Do you think they'll be able to scream? I've heard that Konoha shinobi value their… comrades… immensely…"

Umeda smirked.

"I say, we kill them all, right now," Kayashima said. "Starting… with this one!"

The blond Grass nin suddenly leapt into action, whipping out a kunai, and running straight at Sasuke.

"S-sa-sa-!!" Sakura tried to cry out. Naruto's hand gave a violent twitch, as though trying to reach out to stop the attack.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he tried in vain to fight the paralyzing spores that had been inhaled into his body.

Kayashima smiled gleefully as he raised his kunai.

Sasuke stared as the sharp point plunged. He couldn't even close his eyes.

Suddenly, a solid force tackled him to the side, knocking him out of the kunai's deadly path.

"What are you doing, just sitting there?!!" Chiyo screeched hysterically, standing tensely in front of Sasuke, her new kunai in hand. "Get up and kick his 'ss!!"

"What…?!" Kayashima stared at Chiyo with shock as he quickly jumped back to Umeda's side. "How is she…??!"

_Chiyo…!_ Kakashi also stared in surprise.

Actually, everyone on the battle field stared at Chiyo in surprise.

_How can she… move…?_ Umeda wondered. A darker look passed across his face as he considered a possible explanation. _Could she be… one of __**them**__…?_

"Hey, Umeda! What's wrong with your jutsu?!" Kayashima demanded.

"There's nothing wrong with my jutsu," Umeda scowled. "If _I'm_ the one who's made a mistake, why don't _you_ try to kill her…"

"I will," Kayashima growled. He quickly made a series of quick hand signs.

From the ground in front of his feet suddenly sprouted a thick cluster of dark green vines with thick bases that tapered into sharp points.

The vines shot into the air, twisted around each other like snakes, then turned back down to lunge towards Chiyo.

"Ah!" she yelped and quickly ran to the side.

The vines followed her as she jumped around.

_She… can't take on these shinobi! _Kakashi thought. _She hasn't had any official shinobi training; she doesn't know how to handle ninja battles!_

"Stop standing around," she yelled at the Konoha shinobi. "Come and DO something!! Aaiiee!!"

She yelped as tripped on a tree root and fell hard to the ground. She turned around and brought up her arms in an attempt to protect herself, squeezing her eyes shut.

And waited for the impact.

And waited.

And waited.

Slowly, Chiyo opened her eyes and peeked from behind her raised arms. And stared.

There in front of her, inches from her face, were the vines, stretched and quivering, seeming as though trying to reach for her, yet being held back by some unknown force.

…Or perhaps… forced to attack her and trying to hold back…

Kayashima stared at the scene with wide-eyed, and angry, bewilderment, his expression almost comical, had it not been for the situation.

"What is going on…?" Kayashima asked lowly. He pulled the vines back and then, with a surge of chakra, sent them at Chiyo again.

She closed her eyes, but then after another moment, opened them to see the same scene, the vines quivering a mere inches from her face.

Kayashima growled. "What are you?" he asked Chiyo in a low voice.

Chiyo looked at him and could only shake her head in mutual confusion.

"C-Ch-Chiyo!" Kakashi was finally able to move his mouth. Now if only the rest of his body would be so cooperative.

Surprised, Chiyo looked over the Konoha jounin.

"Chiyo, get out of here!" Kakashi said. "You're not ready to fight trained shinobi!"

"Well, I can't darn well just leave you idiots here!" Chiyo yelled back at him, shaking slightly in the fear of her situation. "How the h'll can you talk?? I thought you couldn't move!"

Kakashi glanced at the scowling missing nins. So, they understood…

"My mask filtered out most of the paralyzing pollen and I'm focusing my chakra to fight the pollen inside my body," Kakashi explained. "I'll be able to fully move in a few minutes. And when I do…"

Kayashima shifted uneasily and even Umeda looked slightly uncomfortable under the glare of the Copy-nin.

"…I won't get caught again…" Kakashi said. "Just go, I only need a few minutes. Get your grandfather."

"Sure," Chiyo scoffed. "I bet it only takes a few minutes to finish you four off. Besides, I can't." She grinned smartly. "I promised Ojii-chan I'd try my hardest to help you. I'll just buy you some time until you can move again, ne? Besides, they don't look too tough."

Kakashi frowned anxiously. He could easily see through her bluff of toughness. It was against all of his moral coding to allow a young, untrained, orphaned girl risk her life for him. There was no way he could allow that. But…

Kayashima growled before Kakashi could reply. "Don't let it get to your head, girl," he snapped. "Just because you can escape from a few jutsu doesn't mean you have a chance to survive. You're still going to die!"

"No!" Kakashi and Umeda said at the same time. The two men glanced at each other.

"Let it be," Umeda said to Kayashima. "Let's go; I'm done here."

"We're running away?" Kayashima growled.

Umeda smirked. "Running away? From what? They can't move; they won't chase us. We're not running from anything."

Kayashima hesitated. "Then why don't we just kill them? Why should we let them get behind our backs? I'm itching for some blood…" he sneered. "How about… just the girl? I don't have to use my jutsu to kill her, a simply kunai will do fine–"

"No," Umeda said. He started to walk away.

Kayashima frowned. Was he really going to 'obey' his 'sidekick'? Kayashima didn't obey anyone.

"Now," Umeda said, slightly turning back.

Kayashima shivered a bit from the dark gaze. He wouldn't be obeying anyone if he had made the decision himself. He decided he would go.

"This won't be the last time you see us, you hear?" Kayashima sneered at Chiyo and the Konoha ninja. "We'll be back… And I'm after your blood…"

The two Grass missing nin disappeared.

Everything was quiet.

"Uh… well…" Chiyo said awkwardly. "Well."

Kakashi raised his eyebrows at her. "Hm."

"Yup," she said.

Everything was quiet again.

"So… are they gone?" Chiyo asked.

"Seems so," Kakashi said.

Quietness.

"What… now?" Chiyo asked.

"Hm? I dunno," Kakashi shrugged. "Oh, look, I can shrug…"

Chiyo anime sweat-dropped. "Oh, right… You guys can't move, can you…?"

"Nope," Kakashi said cheerfully. "Not very much, anyway."

"So…"

"Yup."

"…Seriously…?"

"You got it."

"But…"

"You can handle it."

"…"

'grin'

'anime sweat-drop'

_What in the world?_

It seemed that Chiyo and Kakashi had left the genin in the dark. The three anime sweat-dropped. There was a lot of sweat-dropping that day.

Chiyo sighed. "And I suppose I can't just leave you guys here, huh?"

There was silence.

"How in the world am I supposed to carry all four of you home?!" she demanded with an anime vein.

"You'll manage," Kakashi said. "Oh, and it'll be three. I think I'll be able to move in a few minutes. Just sit down and wait a bit. Then you can help me carry the other three back to the inn. Looks like Sasuke can talk now."

Chiyo looked at the black haired boy.

He scowled. "Whatever."

"Gaphmlerf!!"

"Naruto's getting there…" Kakashi said.

"Why don't we just wait until all three can move?" Chiyo asked.

"It'll take too long," Kakashi said. "Their chakra development isn't quite as honed and controlled. They'll only be able to fully move by tonight, or sometime in the middle of the night. I, of course, am a very skilled and powerful shinobi. I'll be able to completely control my body within a few more minutes."

"Humble much?" Chiyo asked. Kakashi grinned.

"K-Kakashi-sensei…?" Sakura asked. "Um… so, was Umeda… strong…?"

Kakashi looked thoughtful. "No… not too much. He's about as strong as a high chuunin, low jounin from Konoha. Kayashima's a bit less than that. But don't get it in your heads that you can easily take them on. One on one is good enough for me, but things could get rough if I take them both on at the same time. That would mean it'll be even harder for you three."

Chiyo glanced at Kakashi.

"But… Kakashi-sensei…" Sakura frowned. "If Umeda is stronger than Kayashima, why is Umeda letting Kayashima be the 'leader' of the group…?"

"A black widow hides behind poison ivy... you won't know the greater danger until it's too late…" Kakashi said. "Umeda is using Kayashima as a cover, so that enemies don't know his true strength until they face it. Umeda is technically the stronger of the two. The more dangerous."

"Ah, but the poison ivy is the one that kills the tree," Chiyo said, grinning smartly.

Kakashi smiled. "Not bad. That's true, too. Though Umeda is the stronger of the two, Kayashima is the one that's caused the most damage. He's the one who led the attack on all the small villages and towns, killed all those people for the fun of it. Umeda is just a strong tag-along. Though Umeda is stronger, Kayashima's done more damage. He's more reckless. Umeda won't hesitate to kill you all, but Kayashima will actually want to. Both need to be watched carefully. Ah, I'm able to move now." Kakashi straightened up, stretching his muscles. "Let's go back shall we? I'll take Sasuke and…"

Sakura glared at him. She looked deadly.

"…Naruto. You can take Sakura," Kakashi finished.

Chiyo gave him a weird look.

"Where are we going to go?" Chiyo asked.

"We're heading back to Sugo-san's place. I want to tell him about what's happened and see if he has any more information. Besides, he's going to want to know you're alive," Kakashi grinned.

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei, wait, but what about your… treasures? Your Icha Icha collector's items stuff?" Sakura asked.

"Hm? Oh those! Don't worry about them," Kakashi said dismissively.

"But- but- you were all serious about how important they were!" Sakura sputtered.

"Well, yeah," Kakashi said. "And since they're so important, you wouldn't actually think I'd let them out of my sight, do you?"

"Wait… so you…"

Kakashi curved his visible eye in a grin. "Of course," he said.

He reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out a book, holding it to reveal an Icha Icha Paradise 2nd edition. He flipped the book to a certain page. Careful not to look at the vivid illustrations, the three genin leaned in to see the curvy author's signature on the inside cover of the book.

"And the toothbrush?"

Kakashi reached into his ninja pouch and extracted a toothbrush. On the shiny handle was a cover not unlike the ones on the cover of his books.

"Always good to have a toothbrush on hand," Kakashi said cheerfully. "You never know when you're going to unexpectedly stay the night an inn that doesn't supply a toothbrush!"

"So…" Sakura said slowly, her bangs covering her eyes ominously, "we spent all that time searching… for _nothing…_?"

"Well, it wouldn't be for nothing…" Kakashi said obliviously. Or maybe he knew. Maybe he just also realized that the dangerous girl was still stuck in the paralyzing gas… "At least you learned something, right?"

"Sure… that Kakashi-san has pink boxers," Chiyo muttered.

Naruto laughed loudly and even Sasuke managed a snicker.

Sakura sighed. "And… the pink boxers…?"

"I'm wearing them!" he said, still grinning cheerfully. "Do you want me to show you?"

"No!"

The three genin had now turned to look in different directions, their faces particularly red and glowing.

_The one place they wouldn't look…_

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

"Hey, Ojii-chan?" Chiyo asked.

"What?" Sugo grunted, not bothering to look up from the newspaper he was reading at the table.

"Did you ever go on missions with Kakashi-san? He said you did," she said, as she continued to look at the whittled models the old man had on his shelves.

"Hmm? Well, yeah," he said.

"What were they like?" she asked. "Was it… dangerous? Were you a powerful shinobi?"

"Heh, of course I was," Sugo said, smirking. "You're talking to one of the former elite jounins of Konoha. None except the Hokage, and maybe a few ANBU, come close to how strong the elite jounins are. Plus, I was the leader and head of the Intelligence corps of Konoha. I didn't get to be in charge of running the whole corps by being pretty."

"Of course not," Chiyo said, grinning. "Other wise a mutilated toad could have run it."

"Shut up, brat, I'm telling a story," he said. "The missions we took were of the highest rankings; A-rank missions, and S-rank missions. They were the ones where your life was in constant danger, where a _breath_ taken in the wrong place at the wrong time could mean not only your life, but the lives of your comrades and those that you protect. I remember accepting a mission with Hatake to infiltrate a shinobi head quarters in the Waterfall Country. Hatake was a young brat then, mid to late teens, in the ANBU squad. I was a lot younger then, too. We had to steal one of their forbidden jutsu scrolls and collect intelligence or information on their activities and secret political plans. I went on several missions with the Hyuga household clan members – those are a bunch of stiff-neck b'stards, they can see everything around them except the problems in their clan; but you'll never want to get in a fight with them. Their Gentle Fist will knock you out until next month. I went on a few with the Inuzuka clan – they're a bunch of dogs; excellent trackers but they smell like, well, dogs. Got a h'll of a temper, too, they do. The Nara clan is a bunch of freakin' geniuses, but don't expect them to get off of their lazy 'sses to save your life unless the kunai is about a centimeter away."

"Wow," Chiyo said, eyes bright with awe. "Are they really all in Konoha?"

"Of course they are," he said proudly. "Konoha is the strongest shinobi village of them all. We have the strongest, the fastest, smartest, and bravest of them all. And that's not what makes us a great village."

"What is it, then?" Chiyo asked.

Sugo looked her in the eye before solidly saying, "Loyalty. That's what makes us the best in the continent. The will to protect our home, family, and friends; that is what makes us strong. The value we place in our comrades and our Hokage; that is what makes us powerful. The way everyone rallies together and fights as one force, whether the foe be weak or powerful, risking our lives to protect everything we care for; that is what makes us invincible. Loyalty."

The two were quiet as Chiyo felt the words sink in. Loyalty.

She smiled, returning back to look at the figurines on the shelf as Sugo returned to his paper.

From the corner of his eye, Sugo watched the girl as she continued to look at his wooden works.

His mind drifted back to earlier that afternoon, when Chiyo, along with Hatake, had come back to brief him on the incident and the battle. Hatake had left off the strange incident involving Chiyo, happening after he and his genin had been paralyzed, until Chiyo had left to check on her adopted siblings who had gone back to their own home.

The first thing that struck Sugo as odd was that as he listened to Hatake's retelling of what had happened, Sugo felt a growing sense of… worry. Worry for the girl's wellbeing. Was the great Kazuhiko Sugo, former elite jounin and head of the Intelligence Corps of Konoha, going soft for a no good pesky orphan brat? Unthinkable.

The other thing that had struck him as odd, was the fact that… he wasn't surprised when he had heard the paralyzing pollen had no affect on Chiyo, and that the jutsu controlled vines had left her… unharmed. Sure, that didn't happen every day, and it the fact that it had _happened_ surprised him… but not quite the fact that it had happened to _Chiyo._

Perhaps it was because he had been around the girl for too long, and that nothing that was connected to her could surprise him anymore. There had been signs, of course, subtly revealing her connection to plant-like organisms as… unique. Hadn't Sugo's plant, which had before refused to grow no matter what fertilizer, position in the sun, or bottled water it had been given, suddenly decide to bloom big and pretty enough to win the National Bee's Favorite Flower Contest once Chiyo had started showing up at his house? And hadn't his yard, which he had thought plant-proof due to all of the gravel, asphalt, and rock hard dirt, suddenly turn green with grass and the occasional bombardment of pesky weeds? And hadn't Chiyo always taken a special liking to plants? Everywhere around the girl, something seemed to be blooming, whether it was there before she arrived or after. The fact that _pollen_ and _vines, _jutsu controlled or not, had left her unaffected and unharmed… that hadn't surprised Sugo in the least. He _had_ been spending too much time with the girl.

Or maybe he was just getting old…

Before Hatake left to go back to the inn, Sugo had given the gray haired jounin some parting information. Not about the two missing nin from Grass. About the young orphan girl.

"_It's none of my business," Sugo said, looking away from Kakashi, frowning at the wall. "I don't want to pry into her life. But… if you decide to find out for yourself… I have no qualms against it. She was an orphan most of her life, you know that, I told you before. During the first few times I had met her, before I decided not to poke around about her, I found out some things. Not very detailed, mostly vague, places she had been, people she had lived with before she lived on the streets. I found out where she was born. If you're curious about the girl's heritage, you should look into it. I'm sure you can find out a bit of Chiyo's mother there. I… never looked into it myself. I don't think Chiyo knows anything about her mother either. If you want to find out for yourself…"_

_Kakashi nodded. "I want to know why she wasn't affected."_

_Sugo nodded. "She was born in the Flower and Petals brothel. Her mother worked there. Under the name of Chrysanthemum. It's an alias name. All of the women there have aliases originating from a flower or plant. Ask for a woman called Lily." _

_Kakashi nodded. "Thanks. I… know you don't like people to pry… and since it's Chiyo…"_

_Sugo scowled. "I don't know what you're implying. That girl's nothing special. She's a pain!"_

_Kakashi smiled. "Of course she is." _

"Hey Ojii-chan?"

"What?" Sugo returned from his thoughts.

"… Do you mind teaching me and… my siblings how to fight? So that we can… protect… each other?"

"…"

"…"

"…Fine."

'grin' "Good, because they're gonna come over later tonight to learn from you, oh great and powerful one."

"What?!" Sugo looked up from his newspaper in surprise. "I don't want to teach you brats anything tonight! Wait until everything's settled down and Hatake and his brats have gone!"

"Why?" Chiyo asked, curiously picking up one of Sugo's wooden whittled pieces.

"Hey don't mess with that!" Sugo exclaimed when Chiyo (purposely) dropped one of his whittled figures, the object hitting the floor with a muffled thump.

"Why not?" Chiyo asked teasingly. "It's not like it'll break; it's just a piece of wood. And even if it did, it's not like it was worth something."

"You brat," he grumbled. "I spent eight hours on that one!"

"Eight hours… whittling a… bumpy blob?"

"It's a flower, you insufferable pesk!" Sugo said, turning red.

"Ohhh, a _flower_," she said with a smooth grin. "Well, why didn't you just tell me? Instead of making me all confused…"

"It's supposed to be obvious!" he yelled, turning even redder.

"Whatever you say," she said. "You know, maybe you should stop whittling. It's giving you anger management issues."

"That's what _you're_ doing," Sugo growled. "Stop messing–"

"Ooo, what's this?" Chiyo swiped another figurine off of his shelf and looked at it closely, trying to make out the shape.

Sugo blushed and jumped up from the table, rushing to her side, attempting to grab the object from her hands. "Give that back!" he demanded, blushing furiously.

Chiyo easily danced out of his reach, holding the figurine above her head and jumping on his bed. "What is it, what is it???" she asked, smiling broadly at his vain attempts to grab the carved piece of wood.

"It's nothing, give it back!"

"It's gotta be something! What is it??"

"Nothing!"

"Tell me!"

Sugo stopped and looked away, blushing and glaring off to the side. "D'mmit, it's you, alright!"

Chiyo stopped, surprised, and stared at the old man.

Sugo glanced at her and blushed deeper. "It doesn't mean a d'mn thing, you understand?! I was bored and there was nothing else to do! I couldn't think of anything else, you hear? That's all there is to it, don't you make anything of it, you little brat. You're not worth the thought!"

Chiyo was quiet, looking at the man with an unreadable expression for a moment.

It was quiet for a moment.

Sugo fidgeted, still looking off to the side, embarrassed.

Chiyo gave a small smile.

"What are you talking about, old man? That's not me! It's too ugly to be me! It must be you!"

"What?!" Sugo looked back at her, glaring, only to see her grinning face, her eyes glimmering with silent gratitude.

He looked away, blushing again. "Brat," he growled in mock anger, before renewing his 'attack' on the girl.

Chiyo squealed with laughter as she continued to dance out of his reach, watching as the old man's gruff scowl melted away into a truly grandfatherly smile.

And watched as the smile suddenly disappeared in a flash.

Sugo froze, his eyes wide and fearful, body tense and stiff.

"No," he whispered.

He suddenly grabbed Chiyo with speed she had never seen from the old man. Before she could protest, he firmly pressed a point on her neck. Chiyo's eyes widened with shock as she suddenly felt everything go limp, her muscles refusing to obey her. Her mouth refused to voice her protests.

The wooden model fell from her unfeeling fingers.

It cracked in half as it hit the floor.

Sugo caught Chiyo as she collapsed, her legs refusing to work for her.

But Sugo didn't stop, didn't hesitate for a moment. Discarding his cane, he held the girl, hobbling over to his closet and roughly stuffing her inside, slamming the door shut.

Chiyo was leaned against the door, the clutter in the closet keeping her from falling down. She peered through the slanted horizontal bars of the closet door, trying to see what had caused the sudden change in her Ojii-chan.

Sugo quickly hobbled back to his seat at the table, sitting down and watching the door. Chiyo saw his clenched fist slightly shake.

A moment later, she heard knocking at the door. Before Sugo answered, the door opened and two figures stepped in.

Chiyo felt her blood run cold.

Kayashima Senri and Umeda Inoue.

"Shotaro, I presume?" Kayashima asked, sneeringly.

"Hai, and you?" Sugo asked. He already knew.

"Kayashima Senri, and this is Umeda Inoue. We hear you supply… weapons…?"

"At the right price."

Kayashima smirked. "As expected. Let's see what you have, first."

Sugo nodded and got up.

Kayashima and Umeda watched with raised eyebrows as the old man limped over to a large chest by his bed, near the closet. Kayashima almost gleefully noted Sugo's missing leg.

Sugo reached in and pulled out several medium sized bags before closing the lid and going back to the table. He picked up his cane on the way.

Setting the bags on the table, he sat back down and proceeded to undo the ties on the bags, turning them over.

Hordes of kunai fell from one bag, shuriken from another, senbon and other weapons of the like. Umeda smirked approvingly.

"A katana?" he asked, reaching out to pick up a kunai, testing its sharpness with his finger.

"I've got one," Sugo said, standing up again and hobbling back to the chest. He pulled out a long sword, its blade safely in its sheath.

He went back to the two missing nin and reached out to hand it to Umeda.

Kayashima's hand shot out, grabbing Sugo's left arm. Sugo froze, glancing at his forearm, where under his sleeve was the scar Kayashima had left a remnant of their previous encounter, all the many years ago.

"You look familiar…" Kayashima said, squinting at the old man, trying to place him. "Have we… met?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sugo said, narrowing his eyes at Kayashima.

Kayashima frowned before letting go. Umeda wordlessly took the katana. He unsheathed it, running his eyes over the blade and designs.

"This is a good blade," he said.

"Only the best for my costumers. At the right price," Sugo said.

"Of course."

"Hey, old man, have you got any explosive tags? I think we used the last one blowing up that wall."

"Sure, right over here."

Sugo went over to the bookshelf and took out a box that he had kept separated from the other weapons.

"I keep them apart from the other weapons; don't want my house suddenly blowing up."

"No, you wouldn't," Kayashima sneered

"This should cover everything," Umeda said, dropping a bag of coins on the table.

Sugo reached out to take it.

Kayashima's hand shot out, once again gripping his left wrist. Sugo tensed.

Kayashima's eyes narrowed at Sugo and he slowly reached out with his other hand, placing it on top of Sugo's sleeve and slowly pushing the sleeve up…

He stared at the diagonal scar on Sugo's left forearm. He sneered. "I _knew_ I recognized you from somewhere… Kazuhiko Sugo!"

Sugo growled and snapped his arm free from Kayashima's grasp. He whipped up a kunai from the table and got into a fighting stance, leaning on his cane.

Kayashima laughed. "Do you honestly think you stand a chance against me, Kazuhiko? You lost last time, there's no way you'll win this time. And now, you're missing a leg! What'd you do? Misplace it?"

"If you hadn't sent a land slid towards that small village I would have had you and you would have been dead!" Sugo growled.

"Well, it's your own fault for letting me go," Kayashima shrugged. "What was the point of saving that pathetic village? Nothing but old folks and annoying kids! They don't even have a shinobi organization! No guards! They were just _asking_ to be destroyed."

"You b'stard," Sugo growled. "I won't let you escape this time."

"You won't let me escape?! What exactly are you going to do to stop me?! Hobble after me and shake that cane of yours?! You're an old man, Kazuhiko, and old men die fast!"

Kayashima suddenly lunged at Sugo, swiping up a few shuriken and throwing them at him. Faster than they expected, Sugo dodged the shuriken, skillfully maneuvering on his one foot and cane.

Umeda stood back, watching with an amused smirk.

Kayashima sneered as he grabbed a kunai and lunged again at the ex-shinobi. The two fought furiously, Sugo put up a fight that would have made the Hokage proud, managing to land a few hits on the blond and stab the missing nin's shoulders. He hadn't been a member of the elite shinobi for nothing.

But in the end, old age and a missing limb was old age and a missing limb.

Kayashima let out a bark of laughter when he got down and sweep-kicked Sugo off of his foot.

Sugo let out a grunt as he landed heavily on his back, his cane falling out of his grasp and sliding a few feet away. He made to get up and then froze when Kayashima pointed his kunai at his throat.

"You lose, old man," he sneered.

"Chiyo-chan!"

The three shinobi snapped their heads to the closed door. Young voices rang from the other side.

Chiyo's blood ran cold with suffocating dread.

_No. no. no. no._

"Is this where Chiyo-chan is?"

"Yeah, she said her Ojii-chan was gonna teach us how to fight!"

"Yeah, like Naruto-kun–"

"And Sasuke-kun–"

"And Sakura-chan!"

"Are you sure this is where it is?"

"It's where she said it was…"

"Knock again!"

'Knock knock'

_Go away, oh please, go away, go away…_

"No one's answering…"

"Maybe no one's home…?"

"Or maybe their playing a game!"

_No._

"Yeah, a ninja game!"

_No._

"Where we hafta go in and look for them!"

_No._

"Like hide and seek!"

_No._

"Yeah, hide and seek!"

_No._

"Ready or not, here we come!"

_No_.

……

Boom!

The old door burst open as the group of young orphans rammed into it together. The kids fell down from the momentum.

Coughing slightly, they looked up to the scene before them.

They stared.

No one moved.

Suddenly Sugo knocked away the kunai pointed at his throat. He jumped up and punched Kayashima, sending the blond to slam against a wall.

"Run!" he shouted, grabbing his cane and lunging at Umeda.

The kids snapped out of their daze and jumped up, making to run out the door.

A yellow fog of pollen filled the air.

The children froze, unable to move.

Sugo fell to the floor, unable to keep his balance, his muscles paralyzed.

"Umeda!" came a strangled voice.

Kayashima got up, holding his throat. He had barely been able to hold his breath, to keep from breathing in the pollen. But in his haste, he hadn't been able to draw a breath of before he stopped breathing.

Umeda went to the blond and tapped his throat.

"I told you to warn me before you did that!"

"There wasn't time," Umeda coolly replied. Kayashima growled at him before turning back to the paralyzed figures in the room.

He smirked.

"Hey, what do you know? It's the little snot nosed brats who stole my wallet! I suppose this saves me the trouble of having to hunt you all down myself."

Umeda smirked.

"So many to choose from, who to kill first?"

"Kill the old man. He'll be the first to be able to move. Then you can take your time… on the kids…"

"Ahh, but I wanted to play with him!" Kayashima mock pouted. "He's _special_!"

"You can play with the children. They'd be more amusing…"

Kayashima sneered. "That's true. Nothing cuts better than young flesh."

Kayashima picked up a kunai from the table, casually tossing it from hand to hand. He sneered at Sugo.

_No._

"Let's see if this was worth my money, you old geezer."

_No._

He bent down and slowly trailed the blade of the kunai along Sugo's cheek. His eyes went wide with glee when he saw the blood well up and spill from the long cut. Sugo couldn't move.

_No._

"You should have stayed away, Kazuhiko. Then maybe you would have been spared. I'm going to make this as slow and painful as I can. Trust me; you'll be happiest when you die."

_No._

Kayashima laid the blade across Sugo's neck.

_No._

Chiyo's hand twitched.

_No._

Behind Kayashima's back, Umeda turned to look at the closet where Chiyo was hidden. He sneered.

_No._

Kayashima cut the old ninja's neck vertically, into the jugular vein, deep enough to bleed severely, but shallow enough for it to take long, torturous minutes, even hours to bleed out. Sugo wouldn't be able to draw on the strength that would leak out bit by bit.

_No._

Blood.

_No._


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

Part 4

AN: Oh my gosh, I am sooo sorry I took eternity to update! Life happened (and looking for scholarships and colleges) and suddenly it's been ages since I've updated! I am on my knees groveling for your forgiveness, my poor readers! I'M SORRY! (sobsobsob) Anyway, summer's coming up and I really hope to be getting more updates up! I'll work diligently, I promise I'll try! On another note, I read through this chapter about a million times, but I'm sorry if I didn't catch all the grammar and spelling errors! Read and review and don't kill me! Please enjoy!

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

_Black Hellebore: These are one of my favorites. These white flowers live up in high, cold mountains and only flower during the winter. They're tough, sturdy; they have to be in order to survive such a place. And they're poisonous, deadly and dangerous to anything that tries to eat it. They look sorta like this one whittled piece Turnip-jiichan tried to make once, though when he finished, it looked more like a bumpy blob than any flower I'd ever seen. Turnip-jiichan's not as talented as he thinks he is. That bumpy blob is just as tough, too. It won't die or break, no matter how many times I drop it or knock it over. Accidentally, of course. Turnip-jiichan's like it too, I guess. He's certainly tough, and he only looks pretty when everything around him is cold and dead. He's poisonous, too. Deadly. He was a shinobi after all… I guess… as a whole…He's one of my favorites too. There's another thing the two have in common. _

xixixixixixixixixixixixixixixixi

The glare of the sun's morning light filtered through the window, slowly waking Kakashi from his sleep. With a tired sigh, he opened his eye to the world, squinting in the bright morning light. Sitting up, he ran a hand through his hair and decided he needed a shower.

A while later, he stepped out of his room into the common room of the inn, where he saw his three genins sitting at a table, Sasuke glaring aloofly at Naruto, Sakura glaring angrily at Naruto, and Naruto gorging himself (yet again) on ramen.

"Ohayo, Kakashi-sensei!" he yelled, his voice muffled by the noodles.

"Yo," he said. "You shouldn't talk with your mouth full."

Sakura sighed. "You're not going to be able to pay for that, Naruto, you baka," she said. "You ran out of money when you had to pay for lunch yesterday. You still owe me a bunch!"

"Aww, Sakura-chan," Naruto whined. "It's _ramen!!_ How can you hold that against me??"

"Easily," she replied. "You owe Sasuke-kun a lot of money, too."

"Bah, I don't owe that bastard anything."

"You wish, you dope."

"Take it back!"

"Don't spit your food!"

"But Sak–"

Smack

"Ow!!"

"Stop spitting!"

Kakashi sighed as he watched Naruto whimper away from the table, clutching his offended head and ramen bowl to sit at another table to finish his breakfast.

"What are we going to do today, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Hm?" Kakashi shrugged. "I suppose we'll try to find out more about Kayashima and Umeda. I want to talk to Sugo-san about when to expect the missing nin to come for weapons. I'm thinking that perhaps we can meet them at Sugo-san's house and ambush them there, before they can get their weapons. It's closer to civilians than I'd like, but Sugo lives in a pretty remote place, surrounded by old buildings that hide the house from public view. I'm sure not very many will be able to interfere. We'll see. I want to talk it over with Sugo-san first. He knows the layout of the city best. Or maybe Chiyo does…"

Sakura smiled. "Isn't it soo cute how all the little kids seem to adore her? It's so sweet."

Kakashi smiled. He thought he saw Sasuke try not to. He knew Naruto was smiling.

"Do you think we'll see them today? They're all so cute!"

Kakashi shrugged. "If we have time… perhaps we'll run into them before we leave."

Sakura smiled fondly at the thought of the children, of the small girls she had taken to thinking of as little sisters she never had. They were just that cute. The fact that that they led the life they did only made them more endearing and in need of a hug.

"Have you kids eaten yet?" Kakashi asked.

"No, we thought we'd wait for you," Sakura said. "Or at least, me and Sasuke-kun did. Naruto went ahead and ordered ramen from the inn."

"But I'm still hungry!" he said, coming back to their table, his ramen bowl empty.

"How that's possible, I don't want to find out," Sakura grumbled.

"Well, let's go eat," Kakashi said happily. "We'll stop by Sugo-san's afterwards."

"Hai!" Naruto said happily. "Come on, there's only one more ramen bar I haven't been to yet! The ramen magazine said that they serve a specialty ramen in a bowl that's as big as a pig is round!"

"I'm gonna be sick," Sakura said.

"Hmmm, pork…" Kakashi said thoughtfully.

XxX

"Oh, I really am going to be sick," Sakura groaned. "How can you eat all of that after you ate so much ramen _yesterday??"_

"'Cause it's _ramen_," Naruto said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Sakura stared at the oblivious blond with muted horror and disbelief.

"Anyway," Kakashi said, steering the genin down off of the street and into a small alleyway. "Sugo's house is down the alleyway. Let's keep a focused mind here, shall we? He already has a bad impression of you three."

"Why?" Sakura asked. "We've never met him, how can he already think badly of us?"

"Because you have something to do with me," Kakashi said simply.

The four rounded the corner to see the small house of Kazuhiko Sugo.

Suddenly Kakashi stopped dead.

"Hm?" the three turned around to look at their sensei.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi was silent, staring hard at the house.

"Blood," he whispered, and disappeared in a flash, quickly reappearing at the closed door of the house.

The three genin ran up to follow him.

"Stay back," Kakashi warned, before slowly turning the door knob of the house.

The door opened.

Sakura gasped.

Naruto's eyes widened.

The rest stared blankly at the scene.

Blood was everywhere. It pooled on the floor, sprayed on the walls. Splatters of the red liquid decorated the furniture and soaked into the bed sheets and blankets. It gave off a dull shine, like the lusty shine of a metal coin, a blood red metal coin. In some corners of the room, the liquid had darkened enough to blend in with the shadows, making the room darker than it should have been in the morning light.

Bodies were strewn across the floor like ragged dolls.

Sugo lay on his back, blood crusted on a vertical slash to his throat. Keiko and Susa lay side by side, their blood mixed and pooled together beneath them. Fuka lay huddled on her side, her back to the door. Seki was sprawled by the table. Three year old Naoto slumped on one of the chairs. Takako was closest to the door, facedown with one of his arms reached out in front of him, as though reaching for the door.

Sakura's hands flew up to her mouth as Naruto staggered back a few steps.

"H-how?!" he croaked out.

Kakashi remained silent. Then, silently, he stepped forward, heading toward the closet at the back of the room, next to the bed.

He reached out and slowly opened the doors.

Chiyo fell out of the closet and into his waiting arms.

Though her body was limp, her eyes were wide, silent streams of tears running down her face. Her hand was twitching.

Sakura exhaled in horrible understanding.

"Chiyo…" Kakashi said softly. He reached up and firmly tapped a spot on the girl's neck.

"N-no," she said hoarsely. "No."

She weakly pushed herself out of the jounin's arms and stumbled to Sugo. She fell to her knees, her arms catching her fall on Sugo's chest.

"No," she said, grabbing his shirt and shaking him. "No."

"Chiyo…" Sakura said.

Sasuke and Naruto stared at her, unreadable looks on their faces.

"No," Chiyo said. She shook the old man again, and then, shaking, she stood up and stumbled to the orphans.

She fell to her knees for each orphan, reaching out and stroking each of their faces as though trying to wake them from slumber.

When she reached Takako, her fall was significantly heavy, as though exhausted. She reached out and stroked the boy's face. Then she pulled the dead boy into a tight embrace, holding onto him as though he were the only thing anchoring her to the earth.

"No," she kept whispering, murmuring. "No… no… no…"

She rocked back and forth, clutching the dead boy, her bangs hiding her face. The tears had stopped streaming down her face.

Her eyes wet, Sakura turned her head to look at the other orphans, all lying lifelessly around the room.

_o-o-o_

"_Chiyo-chan!" someone suddenly cried. _

_Sakura was suddenly tackled as the arms of a small five year old girl threw themselves around the kunoichi. Reflexively, Sakura's arms reached up to hold the small child. _

"_Chiyo-chan, you're back!" the girl exclaimed loudly. Then she frowned. "What did you do with your hair?"_

"_Chiyo-chan's back? Is Chiyo-chan back?" _

_More voices followed as a small crowd of about six or seven young children, ranging from the ages of three to seven, suddenly appeared and ran towards the genin. All, like the girl in Sakura's arms, were dirt stained and dressed in old rags and tattered clothing. They stopped before crashing into the team and frowned. _

"_You're not Chiyo-chan!" one young girl with messy short brown hair accused._

"_Yeah! Your hair's pink!" another yelled._

"_Chiyo-chan's is black!"_

"_And short!"_

"_And her eyes are brown!"_

"_And she's skinnier!"_

"_And prettier!"_

_Sakura got an anime vein._

"_Hey, I told you guys not to run off like that!"_

_A boy, about eight years old suddenly ran around the corner to the group of children. "Chiyo-chan told me to take care o' you guys! That means I'm in charge and you gotta listen to me! And I told you not to run off like that!" he said loudly, puffing out his chest importantly. _

"_We listened to you," one of the kids said. "We just didn't do what you told us to do!" _

"_Yeah, and besides, we thought Chiyo-chan was back!" another shouted._

_The eight year old boy's eyes widened in surprise. He finally turned to the three genin in front of him. He stared at Sakura, taking her in. Then he frowned and crossed his arms. "You're not Chiyo-chan. Chiyo-chan's cooler than you!" he declared. Sakura twitched. He glared at Sakura suspiciously. "Are you really Chiyo-chan?"_

"_No," Sakura nearly growled. "I'm not."_

"_Sorry," the girl in her arms mumbled before slipping down and joining the others children. _

_o-o-o_

"…_and then the little boy hugged the dog and said, 'you're the best friend I could ever wish for.' And then the dog said–"_

"_But wait, doggies can't talk!"_

"_Yeah!"_

"_Be quiet, just listen to the story!"_

"_Yeah! And dogs can to talk. One of them talked to me once. He said he wanted to be my friend!"_

"_Did not! You're just making that up!"_

"_No I'm not, it's true! Ask Susa!"_

"_Quiet."_

_The bickering children turned in surprise to see Takako oddly stern and serious._

"_Let Sakura-chan finish the story," he said, turning his gaze back to the pink haired girl. _

_Sakura smiled at him and turned back to the book. _

"_And then the dog said, 'woof, woof!' and licked the boy's face…"_

_o-o-o_

A pained expression crossed Naruto's face.

_o-o-o_

_Ten minutes later and about a hundred bowls of ramen…_

"_Ho ho! You kids are incredible! I've never seen anything like it! Come back anytime!" boomed the owner of the ramen bar as he picked up the large stack of bowls, his pockets jingling with the newly made fortune. _

"_We are never having ramen again," Sasuke said flatly, glaring at the sheepish blond after having to pay a big part of the large bill. _

"_I swear, Naruto, you must be sick of ramen by now! I could never eat that much ramen in three lifetimes!" Sakura said, both in slight awe and great anger. _

"_That was amazing!" the rest of the group cheered. _

"_So many bowls of ramen!"_

"_You had to go through three pairs of chopsticks!"_

"_So many bowls of ramen!"_

"_Naruto-kun, how big is your stomach, exactly…?"_

"_So many bowls of ramen!"_

"_And Taiki was so cool!"_

"_So many bowls of ramen!"_

"_You kept up with Naruto-kun's every single bite!" _

"_That was amazing…"_

_Naruto and Taiki both exchanged proud glances with each other, lapping up the praise and awe. _

_o-o-o_

"_Hey, hey, Naruto-kun!" Fuka let go of Sakura's leg and ran up to Naruto, holding up a plucked daisy to his face. "It's for you!" she said, her eyes shining brightly. "Maybe it'll protect you! Chiyo-chan always liked flowers!"_

"_I don't need it! I'm invincible!" Naruto exclaimed, frowning at the yellow daisy, wondering if it was alright with his male ego to accept a flower from a girl. _

"_Take it, you baka," Sakura said. _

_Naruto took the flower from the girl and stared at it some more. Then his face brightened into a large grin. "I know! It'll be my lucky charm!" he declared, stuffing the flower roughly into his pocket. Sakura rolled her eyes. Fuka couldn't be more happy. _

"_Yay!" she cheered, and jumped to Naruto's waist, hugging it fiercely. Naruto blushed, but Kakashi caught sight of the soft expression that came from the boy who was ostracized from the villagers at home, deprived of true family affection and hungry for acceptance. _

_Naruto allowed the soft expression a while longer before he put on a mock scowl. "Oi, I've got a battle to fight! I don't need mushy stuff! I've got my good luck charm!"_

_Smiling largely, the four year old let go of the blond genin. _

_o-o-o_

Sasuke stared with a cold face, his bangs covering his eyes.

_o-o-o_

_Thump._

_The man's body fell heavily to the floor. About a yard away, Naruto and Sasuke landed lightly on their feet and smirked at the downed man with triumph written all over their faces. _

"_Whoa!!"_

"_Are you guys really ninjas?"_

"_You just beat him like this–"_

"_You're so strong!"_

"_And then you hit him like this–"_

"_Can you teach me to fight like that?"_

"_And the guy flew up–"_

"_Just how strong are you guys?"_

"_And then he hit the ground–" _

"_Would you hit a girl?"_

"_And then you pulled out all those knives–" _

"_Are those really sharp?"_

"_And then the guy was defeated!"_

_There was a break as the children took a deep breath. _

"_That was really cool," Fuka said._

"_Yeah… even Chiyo-chan can't do it like that," Taiki said slowly._

_The children looked at each other and their expression turned guilty. _

"_Not that she couldn't totally beat the guy," Keiko amended._

"_Yeah, Chiyo-chan would beat the guy's butt," Fuka said._

"_In one hits," said the three year old boy, Nakao._

"_Definitely," Susa said softly. _

_Sakura smiled affectionately at the kids. Then she felt a small tug at the hem of her dress. She looked down to see Seki, the girl who had bumped into the man._

"_Arigato Sakura-chan," she said. She turned to the boys. "Arigato Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun."_

_Sasuke scowled and looked away, blushing slightly at the thanks. "Whatever," he muttered. But he couldn't help but feel proud at the children's admiration. _

_o-o-o_

_Nodding, the three genin went to Kakashi's side and started to set out to the battle area, a small clearing in a small bit of woodland near the city. _

_Before Sasuke got very far, though, he felt a tugging at his blue shirt. Stopping, he turned to see the eight year old holding on to the shirt. His gaze was down, as though he was embarrassed or ashamed, and seemed to be battling with himself. Then the boy raised his head and looked at Sasuke with wide determined eyes. _

"_Sasuke…san…" Takako started. "After you're done beating the bad guys butt…"_

_He broke off and then quickly blurted, "Can you teach me to be strong like you? Can you teach me how to fight? I know you won't be staying here much longer, but could you teach me anyway? I wanna learn how to fight! I wanna… be able to help my brothers and sisters… like Chiyo-chan tells me to…"_

_The boy dropped his gaze again, staring at the ground. _

_Sasuke stared at the eight year old boy. He felt a slight blush coming on, embarrassed, but nonetheless very pleased, by the boy's request. Sasuke suddenly remembered the incident that had happened the day before, how Takako had tried to fend off the large offender back in the red district, how he had been easily tossed aside, and how the boy had seemed unusually quiet after the incident. Sasuke understood now. _

_Sasuke turned his gaze away from the boy in front of him, blushing a bit more. "I… guess so," he muttered, embarrassed and not quite sure how to handle the situation. _

_Takako snapped his gaze up and stared at Sasuke with bright eyes. "Really?? You mean it?? Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to bug you…"_

"_It's fine," Sasuke said._

_Suddenly Takako threw his arms around Sasuke. "Thank you!"_

_Honestly, what is it with these kids and hugging?! Sasuke thought to himself, though he couldn't deny the tiny bubble of happiness that had before been destroyed by the murder of his family. _

_He 'hmphed' but ruffled the boy's hair as he pulled away. _

_o-o-o_

"Chiyo…" Sakura said softly.

The orphan girl had stopped crying. She now sat stone still, still holding Takako to her.

Then, she slowly, gently, set down his body and stood.

"Where are they?" she said, her voice dead and strangely resolute.

"N-nani?" Sakura asked.

"Where are they?"

The shinobi were silent, staring at Chiyo.

"Where. Are they."

Sasuke scowled. "If we knew where they were, don't you think we would go after them?" he snapped. His voice shook slightly.

"…" Chiyo's uneven bangs hid her eyes. "Show me."

"I told you we don't know where they are," Sasuke growled. "Who do you think you are, demanding answers like that?! Do you think you're the only one—"

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura put her hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

He shrugged it off. "No, who does she think she is?! She—"

"No," Sakura interrupted. "Look…"

She slowly point to the ground under Chiyo's feet, and then slowly moved her pointed finger to the door and beyond.

A path of weeds were growing, creating a road of plants, leading from Chiyo's feet beyond the door.

"What…" Sasuke stared, shocked. Plants, no matter what kind, did not grow with such speed.

Chiyo snapped her head up.

The four Konohans stared.

Gone were her tears. Gone were her soft, compassionate brown eyes.

Her eyes now flashed with pine green vengeance.

"Show me," she said, her words sharp and cutting.

The plants grew faster.

Chiyo tensed. Then suddenly she was running out the door, with speed faster than the shinobi could believe came from a scrawny girl who had seen many nights without food and no technical shinobi training.

"Follow her!" Kakashi ordered, focusing chakra to his feet and running after Chiyo.

The three genin were quick to follow.

They were hard put to keep up with the other girl; Chiyo ran with unbelievable speed for someone in her position.

Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto ran on, following Chiyo and Kakashi through the many alleys.

Then the path of greens ran up a wall of a building. Chiyo followed without hesitation. Kakashi did the same.

The three genin stopped, gazing up in amazement. They had yet to learn how to control their chakra to allow them to run up walls.

The three exchanged a glance, then ran around the building, looking up to follow Kakashi's figure on the rooftops, while they ran on the streets below.

XxX

Chiyo ran in a haze. She could hardly think enough to keep breathing. Millions of thoughts and memories and flashbacks and feelings clouded her mind. Her breathing was shaky and she trembled as she ran. The death of her siblings had yet to sink in. Thoughts and feelings clashed inside her, creating a wave of mixed emotions and a large empty void of numbness, making her unable to think, unable to sort things out.

One thing stood out in her jumbled bowl of mixed minds.

Rage.

It was a monster, chewing at her soul, slobbering on her mind, brainwashing her common sense, taking control of her body, devouring her entire being.

It was the only thing Chiyo could recognize in her confusion, the only thing Chiyo could focus on. The only thing Chiyo knew.

She let it consume her. As she ran on, she felt herself surrender to it, felt herself succumb to it. She allowed it run through her, coursing through her body, making her blood boil.

And she ran, vaguely aware of the green path she was following, oblivious that the path was summoned by her own call.

She ran.

XxX

Kakashi watched in slight amazement as more and more green plants rose from the cracks in the hard cemented rooftops. When he heard the cries of surprise cries coming from below the roof, he frowned. He wondered, skeptically, if the plants had been rising from the indoor plants, growing at an incredible rate and at an unnatural speed to reach the roof of their building or housing, with such awesome strength that they would actually break through the cement of the building to reach outside… They had to come from somewhere, right? It was all too much to actually mull over. All he really knew was that plants of all different kinds were growing at incredible rates with incredible speed and strength, and that they were, intelligently, growing in a very orderly fashion, creating a _path_ towards… something. And that it was Chiyo… that it was her, who had summoned this to happen. Somehow.

Kakashi followed Chiyo as she followed the path off of the building and back onto the ground. He glanced around him. They were reaching the entrance of the city; its front walls loamed up front, growing larger as they got closer. He glanced behind him. His three genin followed, a small ways behind him, all with determined expressions.

Good; he wanted to make sure they were all together.

He and his genin followed as Chiyo and her plant path led them out of the city and onto the dirt roads outside. Kakashi figured the missing Grass nins would leave as soon as their deed was done.

_They'll have stopped somewhere nearby for the night, then continued on their journey as soon as day came,_ he guessed. He glanced at the sun. _It's still pretty early in the morning; we discovered Sugo's place at around eight… They'll have had about two hours head start, added to probably another two hours from last night… and if we continue this pace… we'll reach them pretty soon…_

Kakashi glanced back again. His genin were starting to lag; mainly Sakura. The boys were still making head way, but they were starting to breath heavily. He looked up front at Chiyo. The girl was still going strong. But, then again, she was fuelled with more than a desire to finish the mission; she had anger and vengeance running through her veins. She had witnessed her few precious people getting murdered in cold blood. She had been unable to do a thing. That alone should have her running for days.

The plant path led them from the path and into a forest a few miles outside of Hidekatsu. The path now wound through thick trees. It no longer stayed on the ground, as the missing nin had began to travel via jumping through tree branches. Chiyo followed with ease astonishing for one with no formal training. Maybe Sugo had taught the girl how to jump from building to building… Small, vivid green shrubs marked their path, growing at the same abnormal rate as their cousins back in the city; Kakashi had a suspicious feeling that the _trees_ were bending slightly out of the way to allow the troop easy access… He certainly had an easier time finding thick, sturdy branches to jump and land on… And the genin seemed to be finding the path easy enough to follow.

Suddenly, with a burst of speed, Chiyo disappeared from in front of him.

His eyes widened. _Follow the plant path, _he told himself. _Better hurry… she must have found them…_

He focused more chakra to his feet and ran faster. "Follow the plant path," he told his genin over his shoulder as he disappeared.

He ran for a few more minutes before he suddenly stopped, grabbing the trunk of a tree to stop his momentum.

And not a second too early.

A thicket of vines suddenly shot out in front of him, winding around a few trees before its head disappeared in another burst of speed, chasing something Kakashi couldn't see.

"Shit," he heard someone curse.

"Shit," he echoed and he quickly jumped to another tree, just as the one he was on burst into splinters.

Kayashima jumped through the debris, the thicket of vines Kakashi had seen earlier hot on his heels. Kakashi's eyes were quick to notice (and widen) when he saw the tips of the vines strangely stiff. Unnatural enough for him to suspect they would pierce whatever they came into contact with.

_To be able to control such a large thicket of plants… to be able to command plants to show her something she didn't know and guide her to what she wanted to find… What kind of power does she have? _Kakashi marveled. _And she isn't even aware of what she's doing! Or at least, not at a conscious level… What she's doing now… is controlled by her anger… If she were to calm down and act on an alert level, I'd bet she wouldn't know how… What kind of blood line allows that kind of inherent control?_

Kakashi watched in amazement as the copse of vines followed Kayashima with incredible accuracy as he jumped from branch to branch and up a tall tree. There was a large explosion from the treetops.

_Explosive tag,_ Kakashi guessed, jumping to another branch to escape the debris.

He looked up to see Kayashima fall through from the cloud of smoke that had formed. Branches and leaves fell with him as he prepared to land on a branch to stop his fall.

He didn't count on the branch shifting slightly out of his way, making him hit the branch off balanced and slip off of it to continue his fall.

He landed heavily on his side on the ground. Kakashi saw the blond missing nin bare his teeth in a painful grimace.

Suddenly, the grass beneath Kayashima snaked up and wrapped around the shinobi, forcing the man's arms to his side, rendering them immovable and useless. The grass pushed Kayashima upright and lifted the ninja until he was several feet off the ground.

Then, slowly, like a snake, a slim, green, prickly stalk slithered up the shinobi, over his cloth covered skin and the grass binds. The stalk slipped around his shoulders and tightened slight around his neck, barely an inch from his skin.

Chiyo stepped into view, standing on the branch in front of Kayashima. Her arms were crossed across her chest, her sharp, cutting green eyes flashing with ill-concealed anger and loathing. They were like sharp edges of a leaf, cutting straight through the missing nin.

"That's an Ootsuka vine," she said flatly. "See those prickles on the stem? They contain poison. Enough to kill a grown man in four minutes. And it hurts, too. It'll make your nerves catch fire and you start sweating blood. Your tongue will swell up like a bloated alcoholic and your toenails turn black. Your vision will turn white, like you'd stared at the sun, and your muscle tissue will deteriorate, making you look like a shriveled up geezer. Then you'll die."

"How the hell do you know _that_, you little street brat," Kayashima growled, struggling to keep his head upright and away from the green stalk.

Chiyo started, and frowned, looking slightly off to the side, as if thinking.

"It told me," she said slowly.

"What the hell are you?" Kayashima snarled.

Chiyo looked back at him, narrowing her eyes.

"She's a member of the Makimasu clan of the Grass Country," Umeda said, appearing on a branch a small distance away from Kayashima. "Only a member of that clan can have such natural control over plants. And only an exceptional member, at that."

"What the hell does that mean to me?" Kayashima demanded. "Help me out of this!"

"It means that the only way to defeat her would be with non-plant themed methods," Umeda said. He pulled out his newly acquired katana. Chiyo's eyes flashed at the sight of it. "No plant themed jutsu. She'll only turn them against you. Even if it's unconsciously done. The plants won't want to harm her. If we want to kill her…" he crouched slightly into a battle stance "it will have to be with conventional techniques."

He lunged at Chiyo, holding his katana up. The blade glowed with his focused chakra. Chiyo pulled out her kunai, tensing for his attack. A wall of vines shot up in front of her, but Umeda sliced through them easily.

_But given the chance, time, and training, _he thought, _she'd be able to learn how to focus enough of her chakra into those vines to make them withstand any blade and fire attack… Seeing how easily she's able to control her plants now, it would take very little time for her to master her control… I doubt she's had any prior training…From what I've heard of the Makimasu clan, she'd be considered a prodigy. If she learns her control, she'll grow up to be a monster. Unstoppable. She has to die. _

He slashed at her, his blade blurring to the eye. She was barely able to block the attack, her kunai clashing with his katana, both blades sliding off of the other.

She only just dodged his second attack and jumped to another branch. She kept jumping when he came chasing after her, turning around every now and then to barely block an attack. Walls of thick branches shot up, trying, on their own volition, to protect her. It was like the plants had a will of their own, and that to protect Chiyo at all cost, for whatever the strange reason was.

But Umeda cut through all of the barriers, his blade made inexplicably sharp from his focused chakra, allowing him to easily cut through the thick walls of wood.

He landed on a branch, pausing his pursuit. Chiyo landed on a branch several meters away and then dropped to the floor, making to run. She knew when it was useless to engage in a futile battle against someone obviously out of her league. It had been hard enough getting Kayashima.

Umeda smirked.

"Are you running?" he asked casually, with a sneer. "Just like Kazuhiko Sugo and his little orphans…?"

Chiyo froze. Her expression turned stony with fury. Her green eyes flashed.

She spun around, her black hair flying, green eyes blazing, and ran at Umeda, her kunai held tightly in her hands. All the plants around her burst into angry growth, creating a lush background. The plants followed her every step like hunting dogs, weaving in and out of her steps. They rose up to her side and shot ahead of her, aiming their tips and heads at Umeda.

Suddenly an arm reached out and grabbed Chiyo by her waist, ending her run with a sudden halt. The plants faltered and fell to the ground. She tried to turn, whipping around in the hold to face her new attacker, her kunai swinging to stab at the person behind her. A hand grabbed the wrist, holding it in an iron grasp, away from him.

"Stop, Chiyo," Kakashi said.

"Kakashi-san!" Chiyo exclaimed. Then she struggled against his hold. "No, I have to kill him! He killed Ojii-chan! He killed my brothers and sisters! He has to die!"

Kakashi didn't move. Tears started to stream down her cheeks.

"Let me go!" she screamed, thrashing around and heaving her arm, trying to get out of Kakashi's hold. "Let me go, I'll kill him! He has to die! They both have to die!"

She sobbed, wriggling her body, trying to get free. But Kakashi clutched on tightly, holding the squirming girl against him, hand around her wrist that still held the kunai. "Let me go! Let me go! He killed Ojii-chan! He killed my family! He killed my siblings!! All of my baby sisters and brothers, he killed them, he killed them!! They were kids! All of them less than ten! They didn't do anything! They couldn't!! He killed them!! He laughed!! He made me watch!! I'll have their heads!! I'll avenge my family!!"

"Sugo-san wouldn't appreciate the gesture if you die along the way," Kakashi said softly.

Chiyo sobbed, still struggling to get away. But her struggle was halfhearted. She slowly stopped struggling and hung limp in Kakashi's arms, shoulders shaking with her sobs.

"They killed Ojii-chan," she cried softly. "They killed my family," she whispered.

"They won't go unpunished," Kakashi promised. He looked up from the girl and glared at the two shinobi in front of him. They tried in vain to hide the shudder that ran down their back. "I swear it."

Umeda narrowed his eyes. Kayashima didn't move from where he was still wrapped.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi half turned to see his three genin appear.

"What happened?" Sakura asked in slight awe as she looked around. Splintered trees and broken branches, and scattered leaves and shredded vines and other plants lay all over the forest floor. Kayashima hung from ties of grass, held up a few feet off the air. Umeda's katana still glowed from his focused chakra.

"Take Chiyo," Kakashi said, ignoring her question. He gave Chiyo to Sakura. Chiyo stood tiredly, one arm over Sakura's shoulder, leaning heavily on the pink haired girl. "Move out of the way. Stand by Kayashima and make sure he doesn't go anywhere."

"What, are you kidding?!" Naruto demanded. "He killed those kids… I'll kill him!!"

"Naruto, you are going to stay back," Kakashi said, narrowing his eyes at the blond.

"Like hell!!" Naruto replied, as he whipped out a kunai and ran towards Umeda, Sasuke close behind him.

"We deserve this," Sasuke said quietly as they passed Kakashi. "He killed our friends. This is our right."

Kakashi sighed disapprovingly, but he didn't stop them as they ran past. He'd step in as soon as things got out of hand. Which was bound to happen soon.

"Sakura, make sure you stay and watch Chiyo," he said to the pink haired girl, who had remained behind, supporting Chiyo as they walked to the side of the battle. Sakura nodded.

Kakashi turned his attention back to the new battle when the forest was suddenly filled with twenty Narutos.

"Rah!!" all of them yelled, holding up a kunai and charging at the missing nin.

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered as the Naruto Kage Bunshins popped out of existence one by one. "No plan whatsoever."

"Ahh," Naruto yelled in frustration when he was kicked back, knocking into a tree.

"So predictable," Umeda sneered. "You'll never be a successful ninja if you continue on like this."

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled.

Sasuke appeared at his side. "You know he's right," he said curtly. "You should make up a plan before you jump into hot water."

Naruto glanced at the black haired genin. "So…" he smirked. "You think it's time for some of that teamwork crap Kakashi-sensei keeps yammering about?"

"I don't yammer," Kakashi muttered huffily.

"Heh," Sasuke smirked. "Ladies first."

Naruto gave a feral grin. "That means you, pretty boy!" he said, suddenly pushing the indignant Uchiha into the battle field, directly into the onslaught of kunai and shuriken.

"Shit!" Sasuke exclaimed. He quickly completed the substitution jutsu, flashing to safety as a poor log took the attack. "Naruto, you idiot!"

Sasuke jumped again, dodging a handful of kunai, and quickly formed the hand signs, taking a deep breath, and blowing out the signature Uchiha fireball jutsu.

Umeda jumped to the side, then jumped again to dodge a kunai. Sasuke threw another kunai, but it missed with a strangely large amount of distance from its assumed target, embedding itself solidly into the tree behind the missing nin.

"Time to start practicing your—!!" Umeda was cut off when an invisible line suddenly pulled him off of his feet and slammed his back against the tree. He dropped his katana.

"You were saying?" Naruto smirked, appearing from behind said tree, holding the kunai Sasuke had thrown to miss. Umeda snarled when he realized the fishing string tied to the first kunai. Naruto smirked as he tugged the other end of the line, tied to the missed kunai, mocking Umeda's position. He stabbed the second kunai firmly into the tree and jumped to Sasuke's side, tensing into a fighting stance.

Umeda growled and brought his hands together. Once again, his arm began to glow with a dim green color as it molded into its thorny spear tip-like form, his fingers melding again into a single sharp tip.

With his new arm, he easily sliced through the wire, freeing himself from the tree.

"You'll have to do better than that if you want to even imagine defeating me," Umeda growled. He crouched and ran at the two.

Naruto and Sasuke jumped away just before Umeda reached them, but Naruto hadn't managed to move fast enough.

He let out a cry of pain as he felt the missing nin's transformed arm graze his side, cutting fairly deeply.

"Naruto!" Sasuke exclaimed, turning around to face Umeda who had just targeted him and had begun to swing his dangerous arm as skillfully as he had his katana. Sasuke gritted his teeth as he barely managed to block the attacks.

"Naruto, get back next to Sakura!" Kakashi ordered, seeing his student injured and not about to let his team be in more danger than it already was.

"No way!" Naruto yelled back. He reached into his pocket to take out another kunai when his fingers brushed against something distinctively soft. He paused and pulled out the foreign object.

In his fingers, standing innocently and slightly ruffled was Fuka's plucked daisy from the day before.

He stared at the flower before swearing at the sudden squeeze in his chest, tightening his grip around the stem and placing in gently back into his pocket.

He pulled out his kunai and ran at the black haired Grass nin with renewed strength and determination, his still bleeding side wound completely forgotten.

"I'll kill you, you bastard," Naruto growled, joining Sasuke in the blade duel against Umeda.

His teamwork with the Uchiha was perfect. He blocked Umeda's arm while Sasuke slashed at the unprotected side and kicked when Sasuke made an opening in Umeda's defenses. Every now and then he would summon his Kage Bunshins and try to hold Umeda down while Sasuke performed his Fireball no jutsu. The missing nin blocked and dodged a majority of their attacks, but they felt a small sense of triumph whenever one of their many attempts landed a smarting blow on Umeda.

It continued until, with colorful cussing, Umeda managed to jump away a distance. Cancelling his green arm blade jutsu, he picked up his katana and brought his hands together to summon a jutsu.

The leaves on the forest floor flew into the air and began slicing at the two boys with chakra focused razor sharp edges.

Chakra depleted and exhaustion beginning to set in, the two boys could do nothing except hold their arms in front of their faces trying to guard against the green blades.

Umeda stopped his jutsu short when he had to focus on dodging a barrage of kunai and shuriken sent his way by Kakashi.

"That's enough," he said firmly to Naruto and Sasuke. "You two go guard Kayashima with Sakura and tend to your wounds."

"I can help!" Naruto exclaimed.

"No," Kakashi said curtly. "Stay out of the battle. It'll be over quickly."

"Yes, it will be," Umeda said as the genin and Chiyo moved to the side, next to Kayashima. "But the ending won't be as you think."

Kakashi was silent. He watched as his team helped Chiyo walk over to Kayashima, the boys shooting the missing nin glares as Sakura comforted the still crying girl.

Then he slowly turned back to Umeda. His face was cold, his eyes narrowed.

"Actually," he said. "I'm quite sure it will end _exactly_ as I think it will…"

Umeda lip curled, then he quickly charged at Kakashi, his katana leading the way.

Kakashi easily dodged the blade, then swung around and kicked Umeda as the man ran past, causing the missing nin to stagger back a few steps.

Umeda turned around quickly and brought his hands together, making a series of hand signs, intent on pollen paralyzing Kakashi. Recognizing them, Kakashi ran at the missing nin, interrupting the hand signs and stopping the jutsu before it began.

Kakashi whipped several kunai and shuriken at Umeda and jumped onto another branch, his hands blurring as he made a series of hand signs. Umeda dodged the weapons assault and jumped onto another branch, making hand signs of his own.

Umeda finished first and suddenly, the leaves on the ground rose up into the air once again. They started and glinted with sharpness, then all at once, they shot at Kakashi, their razor edges cutting through the air.

Kakashi finished his hand signs and inhaled deeply. He blew out a large ball of fire.

_The Uchiha fire ball!_ Sasuke recognized in surprise. _How did he…!_

The ball of fire engulfed the leaves, incinerating them. Umeda jumped to the side to escape the fire. He made another series of hand signs.

A thick branch from a nearby tree suddenly reared up like a fat snake.

It then quickly stretched out, reaching for Kakashi.

Kakashi jumped out of the way, throwing a handful of shuriken at it. The throwing stars embedded themselves in the bark of the branch, but the branch didn't slow down.

Kakashi dodged again, jumping onto another branch, then pulled out an explosive tag.

He dodged again, and then threw the tag onto the tag, pinning it there with a kunai.

The tag exploded, blasting the branch to splintered pieces.

Umeda glared at the cloud of smoke, waiting for Kakashi to jump out.

Suddenly a barrage or kunai and shuriken shot out of the smoke.

Umeda jumped aside. He landed on the ground and turned to see Kakashi jumping through the smoke, kunai in hand. Umeda raised his katana and they both clashed, swinging their weapons with precision, only to be blocked by the same kind of accuracy.

Their blades blurred between them, exchanging many blows.

Umeda knocked Kakashi's kunai aside and swung for his abdomen. Kakashi stepped backwards, dodging the blade, and then lunged forward, his kunai up and ready to stab into flesh.

Umeda blocked the attack and made to step backwards when he suddenly felt something grab his ankle. Stunned, he looked down to see a hand wrapped around his ankle in an iron tight hold. He looked back up to see 'Kakashi' disappear in a poof of smoke; a Kage Bunshin.

The hand on the ankle pulled; Umeda suddenly sank into the ground, the dirt rising up to his chin.

"Didn't think you'd fall for a move you'd seen before," Kakashi said, slowly walking up to Umeda, back on top of the ground.

"What?!" he demanded. "How did you—without your Sharingan—How—?!"

"I'm an elite jounin," Kakashi said flatly. "With Kayashima out of the way, I only had you to focus on. I'm not in the bingo book for nothing. If Sugo-san didn't need to worry about the children and if Kayashima wasn't there, Sugo-san could have defeated you, even with his handicap."

"Well that was his own mistake," Umeda snarled. "If he hadn't gotten distracted by those brats, maybe killing him would have been more amusing. Compassion was his weakness; it allowed someone as weak as Kayashima to defeat him twice."

Umeda's face darkened. "That girl has to die," he said quietly, for only Kakashi to hear. "She has power over the plant life that none other have; for one at her age and skill level to still be able to manipulate plants the way she does… If she's given the opportunity to harness and hone her skill, she'll turn into a monster. She will be unstoppable. Her clan is formidable alone; she is a prodigy. You have to kill her before she gets that powerful. Or else she'll get it in her head to kill anyone she wants."

"Like you?" Kakashi retorted.

Umeda sneered. "Like me. But she won't have any limits. If her natural control is as good as it is without any kind of training, imagine if she learned how to command that power consciously?"

"She won't sink to your level," Kakashi said definitely.

"Are you kidding?!" Umeda laughed loudly. "She's a street brat, an orphan with no home and no family. She's at the lowest level there is."

"Oh yeah?!" Naruto interrupted. "Then you must be in the negative areas!!"

"Naruto, shut up!" Sakura said, hitting the boy on the head. "That was lame."

Kakashi stared down at Umeda's head sticking out of the ground. "Then for her, the only way is up," he said quietly, before walking away.

"Are you going to attempt anything?" Kakashi asked Kayashima, who was still bound up in grass and hanging a few feet off the ground. The thin, prickly stalk was still wound closely to, though not touching, his bare neck.

"Are you serious?" Kayashima asked sarcastically. "I may not be sure if that brat is telling the truth but my imagination's vivid enough to keep me from finding out myself. I'm not moving until that _thing_ is away from me."

"Good," Kakashi said.

"What happens now?" Sakura asked.

"We take them to the officials and leave them for the officials to deal with," Kakashi said. "Then…" he looked at Chiyo. Her bangs were over her eyes, tears still falling from her cheeks. "Then, we take care of… Chiyo's family…"

XxX

Chiyo slowly walked into the one room house, team seven behind her. She stopped, looking around the room.

She stood for a moment, then seemed to give a small forlorn sigh. She walked to Sugo, still lying on his back, dried blood on his throat. Only in death was his face without his trademark scowl. He looked peaceful, sleeping. Chiyo stared down at him, her face unreadable.

Suddenly she kicked his dead body. Hard.

Sakura and Naruto jumped slightly in surprise and Kakashi raised his eyebrows.

"You stupid old geezer, why'd you have to go and die like that?!" Chiyo demanded. She stood angrily in front of the body, hands clenched by her sides, feet planted sturdily apart. "You're such an idiot! Did you honestly think you could take them on?! You're a senile old cripple; you can hardly hop around them and hope to hit something!! Did you really think you were going to knock them out with your stupid stick?! I thought shinobi were supposed to be intelligent!! You must have been some special exception if those idiots in Konoha allowed you to go near a sharp object; I'm surprised you were still alive!! And now you're not! And it's all your stuffing fault! And what was the deal with hitting me on the neck and stuffing me in your closet?! I'm not a stuffing shirt, you geezer! Or maybe you were too busy chopping blocks to realize that! You senile geezer! You stuffing stupid idiot! You—you—you Turnip!!"

Chiyo stood for a moment, shaking in anger. Then she fell to her knees and buried her face in Sugo's chest. She let out a shaky sigh.

"And now you've left me all alone," she said softly. "Why the heck did you do that? I thought you'd always be here, in case I needed a job, or just someone to bug. I thought you'd be here to help me if I couldn't find food for my siblings. But I guess now I don't need any help. I've just got to look out for me now. Like it was in the first place, before I met any of you…"

She lifted her fist and pounded Sugo once. "You suck," she whispered.

She lay there for a while, her head on Sugo's chest.

"Chiyo-chan…?" came a small voice by the door.

Everyone spun around to see a small black haired six year old boy, standing scared at the door.

"Taiki," Chiyo breathed. "Taiki!"

She jumped up and ran to the boy. Taiki ran forward and into her arms, wrapping his around her neck and burying his face into her shoulder, crying.

"Taiki," Chiyo cried, hugging him tightly.

"Anee-chan," he cried, his small voice muffled in her shoulder. "What happened?"

"Why are you here?" Chiyo asked. She tightened her hold on him. "Why aren't you… gone, like the others? Why weren't you with the others when they came here last night? Why aren't you… dead?"

"I was sick," he said miserably. "I ate too much ramen yesterday with Naruto-kun and my tummy hurt so I stayed at home and I slept a lot and I woke up late this morning and no one was there so I looked for you guys and then I found you here and you were crying but—but—"

The boy broke off and began to sob. Chiyo held him tightly, tears once again falling from her eyes as the two mourned for the sudden lose of their family.

But nothing could describe the relief she felt wash over her when she saw her little brother's dirt smudged face.

XxX

She let out a resolute sigh and stood up, dusting her pants.

"That's it then," Chiyo said.

"Will we ever see them again?" Taiki asked, rubbing his nose with his arm.

"Sure we will," Chiyo said confidently. "We'll see them right after we die."

"…I don't wanna die yet…" Taiki said hesitantly.

Chiyo chuckled slightly. "Me neither," she said as she picked the little boy up and sat him on her hip. "Me neither."

"I hope not," Kakashi said. "Sugo would probably skin me as soon as he saw me if you were to die so soon."

"And we would all hate for that to happen," Chiyo said dryly, though a small grin played her face.

"Glad you feel that way," Kakashi replied happily.

The children stared at him with anime sweat-drops.

They sighed and fell silent again as they all gazed at the line of graves.

"Well," Sakura said quietly. "Are you ready?"

Chiyo inhaled. "Yeah, I think so," she said, a hint of hesitation creeping into her voice as she tightened her hold on Taiki.

"Konoha is great," Naruto said. "You'll love it there. The Hokage's really nice and Iruka-sensei's really nice and the ramen's really great."

Kakashi noted vaguely that Naruto had left out the other villagers. He cast a side glance at Naruto. If Naruto had realized he had left out his daily tormentors in the list of 'nice-ness', the Kyuubi container didn't show it; he remained as cheerful as ever.

"The villagers are really nice, too," Sakura added. Kakashi saw Naruto give Sakura his own side glance, but the blond didn't comment.

"I know things there are probably a lot better than they are here…" Chiyo said. "But… Konoha's really far away…"

She sniffed determinedly though, and frowned, lifting her chin. "But I can handle it," she said stubbornly, almost as though telling herself off for any signs of weakness. "And I'm gonna train to be a shinobi like Ojii-chan."

Kakashi chuckled to himself, feeling slightly proud of her brave determination. No wonder Sugo had taken a liking to the girl, the old man who had taken a liking to no one undeserving of it. "Your training is going to be tough," he warned. "Especially if you start at your age; almost all shinobi start their training and education when their barely out of their toddler years, and you're already twelve, the age of when these three here graduated…"

Chiyo's eyes flashed with stubborn determination. "I'll make it," she said flatly. "Even if I have to give up sleep over it."

Kakashi chuckled. "Good. Then let's get going," he said, ruffling her hair.

She scowled, but turned back to the graves. "Just give me a sec," she said. "I need to say bye to the Turnip and the kids."

There was a moment of silence as Chiyo, Taiki, and Team seven gazed upon the row of graves, all marked with a simple grave stone. On each of the orphans' graves was set their special toy, each of them battered, worn, torn, and precious.

Chiyo set Taiki down and reached into her pocket. She took something out and crouched in front of Sugo's grave, holding out the object in front of her and turning it this way and that, as though inspecting its worth.

It was a wooden whittled flower, taken from Sugo's shelf of wooden whittled things.

"Well, I suppose I should give this to you, set it on your grave and such," Chiyo said quietly. She was quiet for a moment.

"Nah," she said, standing up. She sniffed. "What a waste that would be. I could probably actually get something for this. Don't know how much though; it's still just an ugly bumpy blob."

She placed the wooden flower back in her pocket and smiled. "Later, Geezer," she said. She turned to Team Seven. "I suppose I'll see you guys later; I still have some stuff to do. A bit of packing."

"Come back by tomorrow noon," Kakashi said. "We'll be leaving around then. We'll take you to Konoha."

She nodded. "Noon. I'll find you."

She picked Taiki up again and walked away, the little boy waving at the shinobi as they left.

Kakashi chuckled before hustling his team back towards the inn.

He wasn't completely surprised when, as he turned back to glance at the graves, he saw a small white flower – that he _knew_ wasn't there last time he looked – sitting in front of Sugo's grave marker. The flower had a suspiciously similar look of the odd bumpy blob Chiyo had in her hands just a few minutes ago…

XxX

Kakashi looked up and down the streets of the Red District. Evening was falling; neon signs were lighting up, and the streets were getting crowded.

Kakashi paid no mind to the flashy shops and bars at the sides of the street. He was only there for one reason.

Flower and Petals Brothel.

Kakashi paused for a moment before entering. Inside was a small lobby area. At the front desk was a tall woman, lounging luxuriously on a chair behind the desk. Seeing him enter, the woman gave a sensual smile and leaned forward, hinting at a peek down her skimpy shirt.

"Konnichiwa," she said in a low husky voice. "My name is Thorn. How may I… help you tonight?"

She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

Kakashi smiled pleasantly. "Konnichiwa. May I speak to… someone called Lily?"

The woman called Thorn pouted slightly, leaning back in her chair. "Alright, if you're sure…"

"Yup," Kakashi said, his eye curving with a smile. "I'd like to ask some questions…"

"Questions?" the look in her eyes sharpened warily. "What kind of questions?" 

"Quite harmless to the business, I assure you," Kakashi said calmly. "I just want to ask about a friend I know."

"Nothing else…?"

"Nope."

She raised an eyebrow. Not many came into the lobby looking more answers than service and hospitality.

The woman nodded before standing up and disappearing behind a door behind the desk.

A moment later, she returned and gestured Kakashi to follow her through a different door at the other side of the room.

Kakashi followed her down a long dark hall, lined with doors. Exclamations of pleasure and pain came from the other sides of the walls, and Kakashi could only try not to imagine what went on.

They stopped at the end of the hall and entered into yet another dark room, decorated with a bed and a chair.

"Wait here," Thorn said, before leaving, closing the door behind her.

A few minutes later, voices sounded outside the door.

"Asked for me specifically?"

"Yeah. You didn't get run in on anything did you? Make anyone mad or anything?"

"No, not that I know of…"

"If things get ugly, just call and me and the girls will jump him."

"Heheh. He only wants to ask questions?"

"Yeah. Too bad, really. He's a looker."

There was a tittering of laughter the door opened again, and in stepped a petit woman with short messy brown hair. She wore a short green skirt and a tight pink top. Her brown eyes were slightly wide with curiosity and wariness.

The first thing she said was, "I don't have any STDs, so you didn't get it from me."

Kakashi blinked, caught off guard with the blunt statement.

"Um, no, that's not what I'm here about," he said, blushing slightly and scratching the back of his head.

"If you want service, you have to pay at the front desk."

"Um, no, I'm not here for service…"

"I'm not at fault for you cheating on your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or any other such lover or partner."

"I'm single, no worries about that… as far as I know…"

"I'm not liable for any injuries or sterility you've obtained."

"I… don't think I am…"

"You can't get a refund if service was under expectations."

"I didn't get service…"

"Then you'll have to pay at the front desk if you want any."

"No…"

"Approaching me was your move; if you sue, I'll win."

"I'm not suing…"

The woman glared at him suspiciously.

"Cancer is not caused by sex."

Kakashi's eye twitched.

"I know…"

She narrowed her eyes further as she mentally went down the list, making sure she had gone over everything. Then she nodded once and smiled pleasantly.

"How may I help you?" she asked.

Kakashi's eye twitched warily again at the sudden change of mood.

"I'd like to know… did you know someone who went by the name of Chrysanthemum? I'm told she used to work here," Kakashi said.

A flash of grief ran across Lily's face. "Yes, I know her," she said. "Knew her. If you're looking for her, she passed away about 12 years ago."

Kakashi nodded. "Yes, she has a daughter," he said. "Actually, I'd just like to know more about her. Her lifestyle, her personality… her heritage…"

Lily looked at him questioningly. "Why?" she asked. She frowned. "It's not any of your business."

"Just curious," Kakashi said simply. "I know her daughter. I thought she might like to know…"

Lily paused a moment. "Well, I suppose it's not like she can get into trouble for what I say," she reasoned to herself. She hesitated a moment before agreeing. "Alright, I'll tell you what I know."

She walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"How did you know her? Chrysanthemum?" Kakashi asked.

Lily smiled sadly. "She was my most awesome friend," she said. She sighed. "I sort of looked up to her. She was always there for me."

"We started working here on the same day. Since we were both new at it, we were able to relate to each other. She was always there for me when I felt too stressed out, or overwhelmed. She was always steady, reliable, cool headed. Everyone could count on her. We became close. Her dressing room was right next to mine. After work, we would go out to a nice tea house, away from all the men and alcohol."

"Do you know where she came from? Her family?"

"No, not much. Every now and then, she'll mention… something, but only in the passing. I do know that she came from one of those ninja clans, one from the Grass Country. But she said that even though the clan was really big and prestigious and supposedly famous, it was a secret clan of the country, so really, no matter how famous it was, no one _really _knew about it. It's supposedly like a… a clan from an urban legend, or myth. There but not really, you know? Oh, I do know this though. She was married, before she came to the Flowers and Petals. Had a nice hubby, had a nice home. Her family disapproved, though. I think it was because he wasn't a member of their original clan, had different blood or something of the like. I guess they didn't like outside blood to be mixed with theirs. Anyway, Chrysanthemum left them, ran off with her husband. I think she told me they went to the Wave country, or the Waterfall country, or something like that. Lived happily for a year. Then something happened to her husband. She wouldn't say anything, I think she was still grieving. Or really angry about it. But I know that he was killed. I'm not sure why or how, or by who, but I know that he died, and I know that Chrysanthemum blamed someone."

"Do you have an idea…?"

Lily looked thoughtful. "Well, since I'd met her, she always had a thing against ninjas. She absolutely loathed them. Which is slightly odd, I guess, since she came from a ninja family, and I distinctly remember her telling me that her hubby was a ninja. Maybe he was killed by other ninja or something."

Kakashi nodded. "That happens," he said softly. "Can you tell me if there was something different about Chrysanthemum? Was she into something… unique? Did she have a certain thing with… plants?"

Lily's eyes lit up. "Yes! She had a major thing for plants! She would step to the side to avoid stepping on a weed on the side walk. Her room was completely _filled_ with plants and flowers. It was like an exotic jungle in there. She would always have a flower in her hair or a chain of them around her neck or as a bracelet. And she had the most amazing skill for taking care of them. All the plants in her room were always in the best condition; they were the most beautiful anyone had ever seen. All of them were full and green and luscious; as healthy as plants can get! I've never seen a dead leaf in her room. And the flower necklaces don't wilt for at least two weeks. It's almost as if they lived for her. As if they thrived on her… I don't know, I have no idea. They just thrived on _her_, you know?"

Kakashi thought back to how the plants had so easily and willingly done Chiyo's will. It _had_ seemed like they did whatever they could to please her.

"Yes, I understand," he said. Lily nodded. "Have you ever seen her consciously control plants?"

"What? No! Is that even possible? Oh, wait, that's right, she was from a ninja clan, I guess they have some skill in controlling stuff or something like that. Um, let me think. No, no, I don't think I've ever seen her purposely control plants. I'm not even sure she could."

Lily frowned. "Oh, but there was that one time… I remember, because it was the only time Chrysanthemum had ever lost her temper. The lady boss had given Chrysanthemum a new client. It turned out that he was a shinobi. Actually, a shinobi from the Grass country. I don't know if he was from her family; I don't think so; but Chrysanthemum really blew up." Lily grinned. "It was amazing. She totally kicked the man's ass. And not in the way that we're supposed to." She frowned. "The two of them got into a really big fight; they seemed to know each other. Anyway, she got really mad, and started yelling at the guy, and attacking him with chairs and stuff. The lady-boss was a bit annoyed; bad for business and all. Yes, and then I remember them passing her room on the way out. Her door was open. I got a peek inside. Her plants were _moving_! _Growing_ like _mad_. And then, outside, I _thought_ I saw some of the weeds on the sidewalk turn _sharp…_? They seemed to cut at the shinobi while he was stalking away…"

Lily laughed nervously. "But I might have accidentally taken something that day. I might have been completely out of it."

Kakashi nodded. "I only have a few more questions. Do you know… her name?"

Lily hesitated. "No, I don't," she said, in a sad, detached tone. "When we enter into this business, our past is gone. Our names don't matter. We were always Chrysanthemum and Lily to each other, and to everyone else in the world."

Kakashi nodded. "And… what happened to the daughter after she was born?"

"Chrysanthemum died after the girl was born. No one wanted to have a baby in the brothel, and the boss lady wouldn't let me care for her. She was put into an orphanage and I was able to keep tabs on her until she was adopted a few months later by an old lady, worked at an old tea shop, I think. Then I wasn't allowed to see her again. I don't know what happened after."

Kakashi nodded. "And… the father…?"

Lily shook her head. "Chrysanthemum had her about three years after she came to Flowers and Petals. It wasn't her hubby's. No one knows who the father is…"


End file.
